Sydney: New Zealand blew a golden opportunity to upset Australiawhen the home side won their triangular series one-day international by twowickets at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Michael Clarke's 75, batting at number three, and Mike Hussey's cool head(65 not out) at the finish, enabled Australiato scramble to victory with eight balls to spare and remain unbeaten in theseries, making 8-224 from 48.4 overs in reply to New Zealand's 218.

With one run needed to win and two wickets left, Hussey coolly lifted NathanAstle over square leg for six to seal the victory in the penultimate over.

After the win, Australian captain Ricky Ponting praised Hussey for hisability to remain cool in a crisis.

"He has really just managed to win a lot of games off his own batwhether it be in Test matches or controlling one-day games," Ponting said."He is a very good finisher."

Ponting admitted the Australians had been below their best in the past twogames, but said there was no need for wholesale changes.

Early in the game, New Zealand had a great chance to finally breakthe shackles of recent Australian domination when they had the home side 3-17.But three horrible fielding blunders cost them dearly.

Opening bowler James Franklin committed the first fielding sin, dropping anabsolute sitter at fine leg from the bowling of Mark Gillespie when Clarke wason just 17.

The normally reliable Daniel Vettori was the next offender, losing controlof the ball when he tried to break the stumps to run out Hussey as the Kiwismade a hash of what should have been a certain wicket.

Hussey, who was 18, was well short of his ground when the stumps werebroken, but was given not out by the third umpire.

Clarke had another life on 42, Franklin the frustrated bowler this time aswicketkeeper Brendon McCullum could not hang onto an inside edge standing up tothe stumps.

Those crucial errors enabled Australiato recover from 77 for four, with Clarke and Hussey putting on 90 for the fifthwicket to put their side within reach of victory.

Once again, the unflappable Hussey did the job for Australia inthe final overs as the Black Caps paid the price for dropping a specialistbowler to strengthen their batting.

The victory, which means Australiahas won 18 of its last 20 limited-overs matches against New Zealand, left Kiwi captainStephen Fleming wondering what might have been.

"You can almost see it and feel it, if you put those chances away thenwe had a great opportunity but good teams don't give you a second chance, thatis what we have learnt the hard way," he said.

The Kiwis were themselves in great trouble after winning the toss andelecting to bat, but McMillan rode his luck and came to the rescue.

McMillan's lusty 89 enabled his side to recover from 136 for seven to post acompetitive total despite only lasting 47.4 overs.

The 30-year-old McMillan, who is batting for a place at the upcoming WorldCup in the West Indies, was at his feisty bestas he frustrated the Australian attack after benefiting from an early umpiringerror.

McMillan was just one, and the score 59 for four, when he clearly edged aGlenn McGrath delivery through to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, but was givennot out.

He made the most of the early life, facing just 87 balls and producing amixture of quality shots and extravagant swings, hitting three sixes.

His ultimate dismissal, when he top-edged an attempted pull shot, was asunlucky as his early reprieve was fortunate.

He was caught and bowled by McGrath from a full-toss that was above waistheight and should have been called a no-ball.

The Australians were well on top early, their four-pronged pace attackslicing through the Black Caps' top order.

Opener Nathan Astle and the recalled Hamish Marshall both fell for ducks asspeedster Brett Lee (2-43) produced a quality opening spell that saw him swingthe ball at high pace.

Stuart Clark three times claimed a wicket in the first over of a spell andfinished with 4-54.

The evergreen McGrath chimed in with 3-24 from 10 overs.