Ponting paves way for Australia victory

SYDNEY, Australia -- Australia captain Ricky Ponting made a spectacular return to form with 124 to lead Australia to an 18-run victory over India in the one-day series in Sydney.

The hosts gave India a daunting target of 318 to win, with Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds also smashing half-centuries.

Gautam Gambhir's 113 gave India hope and a spirited fightback from the lower order made for a tense finish but Brett Lee took five wickets for 58 to seal Australia's win.

Australia held off a spirited fightback from India, who posted the highest score by a team batting second in the CB Series so far.

Harbhajan Singh and Robin Uthappa led the comeback, with the latter smashing 51 off 43 balls, but their hopes of an unlikely win were obliterated by Lee whose scalps included the prize wicket of Sachin Tendulkar for two.

Gambhir had earlier hit 113 off 119 balls to rescue the tourists' following the losses of Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, who was caught behind off Stuart Clark for 17.

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni chipped in with 36 but edged a Lee delivery behind to Gilchrist, who then stumped Ghambir to slow India's momentum.

Irfan Pathan made a quickfire 22 off 21 balls before being dismissed by James Hopes as India sensed an upset but Lee was in no mood for a nailbiting finish.

He took the scalps of Harbhajan and Uthappa with consecutive balls in the 48th over, catching out both with slower balls.

Australia overcame the early loss of Adam Gilchrist to make a promising start. The retiring wicketkeeper blasted 16 off just seven balls before being caught behind.

That brought Ponting to the crease and he and Hayden brought up Australia's first 100 in 75 balls. The introduction of spinner Harbhajan put the brakes on the scoring, but Hayden still completed his 50 off 58 balls having hit five fours and a six.

Ponting followed shortly afterwards, his half-century coming off 51 balls as the 33-year-old also struck five boundaries and a six, and the pair put on a century stand at slightly better than a run a ball.

But their partnership was broken 10 runs later when Ponting drove Sehwag to Rohit Sharma at short mid-off and Hayden set off for a quick single.

The opener was rightly sent back by Ponting and finished well short of his ground when Sehwag whipped off the bails at the bowler's end.

Ponting and Michael Clarke ticked along before the latter perished on 31 when he pulled a long-hop from Sehwag straight to Rohit Sharma at square leg.

Ponting made his 26th one-day international hundred of 111 balls with a scurried single before passing 11,000 runs in limited overs contests shortly afterwards. He eventually departed when holing out to Pathan on the boundary.

Meanwhile, Jacques Kallis picked up a five-wicket haul to put South Africa on the brink of victory on the third day of the opening Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka.

The prolific all-rounder took all his wickets in a single spell of bowling to help South Africa bowl out the hosts for 182 and restrict their second innings lead to 204.

South African batsmen, who made only 170 in their first innings, made amends by reaching 178-4 at the close and now need just 27 runs to go 1-0 up in the two-Test series.

Ashwell Prince was on 24 alongside A.B. de Villiers on eight when play was called off due to bad light with eight overs remaining in the day. E-mail to a friend