Australia has scored a crushing first-up win over Sri Lanka in the one-day cricket series at Dambulla.

The world champions won by 84 runs after posting 6-262 and bowling out the home side for 178 in 43.3 overs.

Australia made a cracking start to its innings with Adam Gilchrist (66) and Matthew Hayden (40) putting on 104 in 18 overs before skipper Ricky Ponting (58) steered Australia through the middle overs.

The world champions were 2-189 going into the 40th over but hit a snag with the loss of Damien Martyn (27) and Ponting close together.

Mutaiyyah Muralitharan (2-30) snaffled two wickets in his final over to complete a fascinating spell in which he troubled all the Australian batsmen with his deceptive new delivery.

Australia's total was always going to be solid but Andrew Symonds lifted his team past 250 by smashing three fours and a six in the final over to ensure Australia went to the tea break on a high.

Two run outs in five balls thanks to a mix-up and then a sharp throw by Ponting reduced Sri Lanka to 2-13 in the third over and when Jason Gillespie clean-bowled Sri Lankan captain Marvan Atapattu it was 3-24 and the contest was effectively over in the seventh over.

Sri Lanka's fortunes briefly turned on the calm batting of middle order pair Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who added 121 for the fourth wicket.

But the two would-be saviours departed within six balls of each other to scuttle Sri Lanka's hopes.

Sangakkara (58) edged a Brett Lee delivery to Gilchrist before Jayawardene (61) was bowled by Symonds as Sri Lanka lost 2-2.

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