Cricket: Ruthless Aussies pulverise Pakistan

Australia’s Peter Siddle (C) celebrates the wicket of Pakistan’s Umar Akmal. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - No wonder Ricky Ponting still loves 50-over cricket.

Based on the evidence of last night's 140-run win over Pakistan at the SCG, the Australian one-day team is in superb shape some 13 months out from the next World Cup on the subcontinent.

The national side produced the sort of ruthlessness in the field in Sydney that was their hallmark on the way to winning the past three World Cups.

Chasing 268 for victory, Pakistan were dismissed for 127 - their lowest one-day total against Australia on these shores.

Skipper Mohammad Yousuf's (58) half century saved his side from an even worse fate.

The pounding of Pakistan also handed Australia a 2-0 lead in the best of five series before the Australia Day clash in Adelaide.

Ponting's men have only lost three times in their past 21 matches and showed just why on Sunday.

The positives were not only out on the field for the Australians, Sunday's match was played in front of a crowd of just under 31,000, a decent turn out considering the concerns for the future of the 50-over game.

In-form batsmen Shane Watson (69 off 71 balls) and Cameron White (55 off 58 balls) earlier top and tailed Australia's 267-6 from 50 overs.

That total looked imposing from the start of Pakistan's innings as paceman Doug Bollinger (2-17 off eight overs) pierced the top order.

He removed Salman Butt and (2) and Younus Khan (0) in the space of four balls in the fifth over.

Bollinger spent time during Australia's innings walking up and down the Bradman Stand carrying a collection bucket for the Haiti earthquake appeal.

But there was no charity on the field as he and Peter Siddle (1-23 off eight overs) produced menacing displays with the new ball.

White pouched both catches off Bollinger's bowling before his Victorian teammate Clint McKay produced his own fine piece of fielding to run out Kamran Akmal (16) following a mix-up with Yousuf.

Siddle knocked back Umar Akmal's (0) off-stump with the youngster done for pace.

Ponting then joined in the fielding exhibition by taking a spectacular one-handed diving catch in his left hand at point to end Shoaib Malik's (2) painful stay.

When Shahid Afridi (9) fell the score was 58-6 the contest had ended.

Watson earlier handed the home side an ideal start before spinner Afridi (2-35 off 10 overs) put the clamps on Australia in the middle overs.

Ponting (13) never really got going, deputy Michael Clarke (25) didn't do much better and Mike Hussey (29) fell late trying to lift the rate.

But White backed up his century in game one with a typically helter-skelter knock.

- AAP