David Hussey, Matthew Wade and David Warner all scored half-centuries as Australia made 9-252 in the one-day international against India at the SCG on Sunday.

Hussey’s 54 was tinged with controversy however with the Victorian surviving an appeal by India for handling the ball when he was on 17.

The 34-year-old blocked a throw by Suresh Raina with his right hand but umpires deemed he was merely preventing injury and he was allowed to bat on much to Indian captain MS Dhoni’s disgust.

Following that incident Hussey combined well with Wade (56) after Warner (68) had earlier kept Australia’s innings together with stand-in captain Shane Watson (1), Peter Forrest (7) and Michael Hussey (10) all falling cheaply.

Warner’s knock was brought to an end in spectacular style when Raina held on to a high chance despite a heavy collision with Irfan Pathan, reminiscent of Steve Waugh and Jason Gillespie’s infamous meeting in a Test match in 1999.

Thankfully, unlike that coming together in Sri Lanka between Waugh and Gillespie, neither Raina nor Pathan were seriously hurt in the collision.

His demise brought David Hussey and Wade together and the pair added 94 for the fifth wicket to lift Australia from 4-107 to 5-201.

Virender Sehwag (3-43) claimed the scalps of Clint McKay (1), Brett Lee (4) and Dan Christian (24) while Xavier Doherty (13no) lifted the total with some late hitting including a big six in the final over.

Praveen Kumar (2-37) and Umesh Yadav (2-39) were the other bowlers to do well for the Indians, who would all but fall out of finals contention in the tri-series with a defeat.