Australia : David Warner scored 163 and then David Hussey took four wickets to help Australia hold off Sri Lanka and win the first tri-series final by 15 runs on Sunday.

Australia leads the best-of-three match series 1-0.

Warner’s innings was the cornerstone of Australia’s commanding 321 for 6 against Sri Lanka.

The left-hander, a relative failure with 195 runs from eight league matches, came on to his own with 163 off 157 balls as Australia equalled the highest total of the competition, matching the 321 which India made while chasing against Sri Lanka at Hobart earlier this week.

This was easily Warner’s career-best score, improving upon his 74 against South Africa at Port Elizabeth last year, and he shared three substantial stands of 136, 50 and 64 with fellow opener Matthew Wade (64), Shane Watson (21) and skipper Michael Clarke (37).

Warner’s knock is the best at Gabba by any batsman, improving upon 158 of David Gower of England against New Zealand in 1983.

This is the third highest score by an Australian on home soil, behind only Mark Waugh’s 173 against West Indies at Melbourne in 2001 and 172 by Adam Gilchrist against Zimbabwe in Hobart in 2004.

Australia won the toss and chose to bat and swiftly proceeded to the best opening stand of the series, 136 runs which came off 24 overs.

Wade was the aggressive of the two, smashing boundaries and once lifting Lasith Malinga for a straight six into the stands as he raced to his 50 off 52 balls.

Warner was relatively slow as he seemed determined to atone for his previous failures of the series, striking only five boundaries in his 50 off 61 balls. The 100 of the innings was up in the 18th over.

Sri Lanka broke through in the 24th over when Wade lofted Kulasekara to long-on and Rangana Herath pulled off an amazing catch, leaping and bending backwards to grasp the chance on his fingertips and then fall just inside the boundary ropes.

Wade made 64 off 72 balls with four fours and a six.

Australia continued in the same vein as Watson got into his stride quickly, making 21 off 25 balls before falling to Ferveez Maharoof in the batting powerplay, in the 35th over.

Sri Lanka made quick gains on this breakthrough, claiming Daniel Christian (10) and David Hussey (1) before the 40th over was up. Australia were 230 for 4 at the end of the 40th over.

Warner, all this while, was going strong at the other end, completing his maiden century in the 35th over when he made an unintended cut past keeper for four off Farveez Maharoof. His century arrived off 111 balls with eight fours and two sixes.

Australia again found its moorings through the fifth wicket stand between Warner and skipper Michael Clarke which was broken in the 47th over, having put on 64 runs off 44 balls.

Warner completed his 150 in this very over, having batted for 147 balls and hit 13 fours and two sixes. Australia completed their 300 at the end of the 48th over.

The left—hander was dismissed off the last ball of the innings, bowled by Dammika Prasad as he attempted a mighty heave. Australia made 91 runs from the last 10 overs.