Sydney, March 2 Matthew Hayden hit an impressive 82, but Indian bowlers stuck to their task to restrict Australia to 239 for eight in the first final of the cricket tri-series here today.

The Indian pacers applied the brakes early on by picking three Australian wickets and then the spinners, led by Harbhajan Singh, hurdled the hosts' progress in the middle overs to prevent them from piling up a big total.

The Australians had a disastrous start as they were 24 for three in the sixth over before the fourth wicket pair restored parity.

Adam Gilchrist (7), Ricky Ponting (1) and Michael Clarke (4) were all out in a jiffy as the Australians showed their familiar frail batting in the series.

Young paceman Praveen Kumar had a hand in two of these dismissals when he accounted for Gilchrist and Ponting in his first spell.

Both the batsmen failed to latch on to short deliveries and gifted away their wickets -- Gilchrist hoisting it to mid-on while Ponting inside-edging a pull on to his stumps.

Clarke was unlucky to be ruled out off an inside edge off Ishant Sharma by umpire Rudi Koertzen though the ball had clearly brushed the top flap of his front pad.

Hayden and Andrew Symonds revived the Aussie innings by putting up 100 runs off 104 balls for the fourth wicket and appeared to have the bowling by the scruff of the neck when Harbhajan did his special trick. (Agencies)