Centurions Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson combined in a record 252-run partnership to seal a crushing nine-wicket win for holders Australia under the Centurion floodlights.

However, the match was only taken as deep as the 42nd over of the chase thanks to a career-best 80 from Tim Bresnan and Luke Wright's 48, after Strauss' men slumped to 101 for six.

Strauss, who will discuss the Test and one-day parties for the first winter tour in the next few days, backed the style of the top order's play but not the substance.

"You live by the sword and you die by the sword," said Strauss. "When you lose six wickets for 100 runs on that kind of surface you are always struggling.

"As a template going forward we have to keep playing our shots, it's refreshing to see the guys going out there and expressing themselves but we have to work on our skills to improve our percentages.

"Tim Bresnan played exceptionally well and was well supported by Luke Wright.

"We weren't completely out of the game at the halfway mark but it was a 300-par wicket and we were still quite light which meant we needed three or four wickets with the new ball, which weren't able to get."

When Graham Onions prised out Tim Paine in the second over, following a 15-minute delay caused by an invasion of flying ants, it appeared to be the perfect start.

But Ponting struck his 28th one-day international hundred and became the first Australian to pass 12,000 runs at this level.

Ponting, who guided the chase only to be overtaken by Watson's late blitz of sixes, has averaged 74 since resting for the first three matches of the NatWest Series.

"I've felt really good since the break at the end of the Ashes when I went home for 10 or 12 days," said Ponting.

"Since I've come back I've felt I've been batting really well and felt in control which is what we all try to achieve.

"I've certainly felt in control the last couple of weeks."

Australia have now won seven of their eight matches against England since the start of September.

"We have been talking about playing at a level that is going to get us into big games," said Ponting.

"To take six wickets for 100 was a good start for us, the run-rate was pretty high, but I said to the bowlers right from the start to really attack and take wickets.

"We did that at regular intervals until the Wright-Bresnan partnership, we were a little bit sloppy with the ball at that stage, but the wicket was excellent, the outfield very fast and the ground not overly big so we were pretty confident."

For Strauss there is no doubt who will triumph on the same ground in the tournament showpiece on Monday.

"It's hard to look past Australia," said Strauss. "They are on a great run and are hard to beat."