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Melbourne. Australia drew first blood in the tri-nation one-day series with a convincing 65-run victory over India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Debutant Matthew Wade clubbed 67 in a man-of-the-match performance and David Hussey chipped in with a brisk unbeaten 61 as Australia reached 216 for five off a rain-reduced 32 overs.

The Australians had the tourists on the back foot after left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc dismissed Sachin Tendulkar (2) and Gautam Gambhir (5) inside the opening four overs.

India were all out for 151 off 29.4 overs for their sixth loss on their Australian tour, after losing the four-Test series and one of the two Twenty20 internationals.

Wicketkeeper Wade followed up his big-hitting 72 in the Twenty20 series with a belligerent 67 off 69 balls, including two sixes and four fours, to push the home side to a competitive total after afternoon rain reduced the game from its scheduled 50 overs.

“The boys are high after the Test series win and we want to keep that up,” Wade said.

“I am pretty familiar with the MCG, and it was good to go out there.”

David Hussey followed up with a sprightly 61 off 30 balls, including two sixes in the final over off Ravindra Jadeja to have the Australians scoring at 6.75 runs an over.

Australia were 35 for two after 11 overs when rain swept in, but the home side came out blazing after the interruption, adding 181 in 21 overs. Mike Hussey clipped a breezy 45 off 32 balls.

“We knew we only had 21 overs after the break,” skipper Michael Clarke said.

“Wade was outstanding on debut. David Hussey continued his form, and Michael Hussey keeps getting runs in all forms of the game. Ricky Ponting is catching well.”

Paceman Ranganath Vinay Kumar was the best of India’s bowlers with three for 21 off seven overs, while the spinners were clobbered.

Ravi Ashwin went wicketless for 48 from his five overs, leg-spinner Rahul Sharma had one for 44 off 6.2 overs and Jadeja had 41 taken off 16 balls.

India had some early joy, removing the dangerous David Warner for eight, going for a slog only to be bowled by Vinay Kumar, while Ricky Ponting went for two after hitting straight to Suresh Raina at short extra cover off Kumar.

Tendulkar yet again failed to claim his elusive 100th international ton after he was snapped up by Ponting off Starc for two in six balls.

Test cricket’s all-time leading runscorer has now gone without a century for 26 Test and one-day innings. His last hundred (111) was in the World Cup last March.

Starc also removed Gambhir off an outside edge to ‘keeper Wade, leaving India a shaky 13 for two.

Virat Kohli batted resiliently for 31 off 34 balls before he fell to Clint McKay in the 12th over, brilliantly caught by Ponting at backward point after cutting a wide delivery.

Rohit Sharma was out two balls later, fending McKay to Wade for 21 off 21 balls and India’s last hope, skipper M.S. Dhoni, was second-last man out.

Dhoni holed out to left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty to long-off where he was taken by a leaping Warner for 29 off 38 balls, with just one four.

“Once they came back after the break, they went after our bowling,” Dhoni said.

“Our loose deliveries were too loose. That was the difference. And we did not get off to a good start in the chase.

“That was a crucial time after the Powerplay overs. If only we could have built the partnership (Kohli-Rohit). We have the self-belief. That comes with the youngsters.”

McKay finished Australia’s best bowler with four for 20 off 4.4 overs, while Starc and Doherty each took two wickets.

The second match in the tri-series takes place in Perth on Wednesday between World Cup finalists India and Sri Lanka.

Agence France-Presse