SYDNEY, Feb 10 (AFP) - Bowlers Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath inspired Australia to a gripping 10-run win over England to go one-up in the finals of the triangular one-day cricket series here Wednesday.

England were cruising to victory at 198 for four in the 43rd over chasing Australia's 232 for eight off 50 overs when skipper Warne sparked a tumble of wickets to put the skids under England's batting order.

England crashed, losing five wickets for six runs in 22 balls but still had a chance when last pair Robert Croft and Alan Mullally needed 12 from the last over.

McGrath missed an easy run out at the bowler's end with the first ball then uprooted Mullally's middle stump to finish with 4-45, having earlier had 33 taken from his first five overs.

The Test spearhead also equalled Dennis Lillee's 1980-81 record of 25 wickets in a one-day series.

The victory at the Sydney Cricket Ground gave Australia first blood in the best of three match series.

Nasser Hussain, who gave England sight of victory with his gritty 58 off 98 balls, threw it away when he charged down the pitch and was stumped off a Warne turner.

Adam Hollioake looked dreadfully unlucky when he was given out lbw on the next ball by umpire Steve Davis and in the following over by Shane Lee, Brendon Julian ran 40 metres to catch Vince Wells for 33.

McGrath then had Mark Ealham caught behind and bowled Darren Gough to make victory a formality.

Australia, 1-0 up in the best of three finals, have now won six on the trot while England have lost five of their last six one-dayers in the series.

But victory came at a price, with man-of-the-match Michael Bevan to take no further part in the finals after badly dislocating a finger off a vicious pull shot from England captain Alec Stewart who crashed 27 off 18 balls.

X-rays showed no break and the finger was put back in but he will miss the remaining finals.

It was one of four successive fours off pull shots in McGrath's third over and the lanky fast bowler let his frustrations out with a verbal tirade at the end of the over.

If reported and found guilty McGrath could be forking out 2,500 dollars (1, 600 US) in fines -- in the fourth Ashes Test at the MCG in December he was fined 30 percent of his match fee, suspended for four months, for a sledging incident involving England paceman Alan Mullally.

Adam Dale (2-33) picked up Stewart at midwicket but the England captain refused to walk until umpire Darrell Hair eventually gave him out.

England consolidated to be 114 for two in the 26th over before Ricky Ponting ran out the dangerous Graeme Hick for 42 and McGrath had Neil Fairbrother caught behind for eight.

Hussain and Wells survived Warne's mesmerising spell to share a match-high stand of 67 that seemingly had England primed for victory.

But batting was never easy on an awkward pitch and once Warne made the breakthrough the floodgates opened.

Bevan's controlled unbeaten innings of 69 off 74 balls lifted Australia to 232 for eight off their 50 overs.

Bevan's knock was sorely needed after Ealham (3-45) and Wells (3-30) exploited the humid conditions and a slow pitch.

The one-day specialist lefthand batsman survived a close run out attempt on six and was not afraid to loft the ball in pursuit of boundaries as England captain Alec Stewart kept men inside the fielding circle.

Mark Waugh made a patient 42 but no-one else passed 30 and the highest partnership was the opening stand of 40.

Wells, playing his first international tournament at the age of 34, knocked over Waugh, Ricky Ponting for 10 and Darren Lehmann for 19 as Australia slipped to 115 for four after 25 overs.

Damien Martyn, Shane Lee and Brendon Julian all played important cameo roles before falling to Ealham, while Bevan reached his fifty off 57 balls.

That the game even got underway was credit to the groundstaff who worked until midnight Tuesday to drain two days of rain from the outfield.

The rain stayed away, preventing the awkward situation of the teams flying to Melbourne on the morning of Friday's second final.