Australia dismissed for 252 in first one-day final

MELBOURNE, Feb 9 (Reuters) Australia were dismissed for 252 from 48.3 overs in the opening tri-series final against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground today.

After winning the toss, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting hit 75 and added 138 for the second wicket with Matthew Hayden (82) to put the hosts on target for a total in excess of 300 in the first of the best-of-three finals.

However, some tight bowling and fine fielding by England, mainly from the outstanding Paul Collingwood, put the brakes on the middle order as the hosts stumbled from 170-1 to their modest finishing total.

After Australia lost Adam Gilchrist for five, Ponting and Hayden's partnership was broken up by a brilliant diving catch by Collingwood at cover off Monty Panesar's bowling to dismiss the skipper after a typically fluent 75-ball knock.

Hayden, who hit seven fours in 102 deliveries, went next over when Sajid Mahmood collected a steepling catch at long-on off Jamie Dalrymple's bowling to reduce the hosts to 180-3.

It then all started to go wrong for the world champions.

Crowd favourite Brad Hodge, who was lucky to survive a run-out decision when he had yet to score, was trapped leg before for five by Panesar to make it 196-4 before Australia lost Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey in consecutive balls.

Clarke (33) hesitated on a quick single and was run out by Collingwood's fine direct hit and Hussey (17) was caught behind next ball by Paul Nixon off stand-in skipper Andrew Flintoff's bowling.

Flintoff then had Brad Hogg caught by Ian Bell at cover for ten before another fine run out throw from Collingwood dismissed the hesitant Brett Lee for a duck.

The recalled Shane Watson made nine before he holed out off Mahmood to Bell at mid-wicket and Flintoff, who finished with 3-41, wrapped up the innings when he bowled Glenn McGrath for a duck.

England replaced injured captain Michael Vaughan with Mal Loye while the Australians included Watson and Hogg in place of Cameron White and Mitchell Johnson.

Reuters DH DS1339