A brilliant century from Cameron White helped guide Australia to five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the opening one day international at the Gabba on Friday night.

Set a target of 275, Australia got off to a shaky start when Pakistan snared three early wickets, but White along with vice-captain Michael Clarke helped to restore order with a patient 100 run partnership.Playing his third match of cricket in a week, White matched his best ODI score with a superb knock of 105 that included four sixes and eight fours.

Australia got away to a poor start when opener Shane Watson departed early leaving the home side 1-16 in the fourth over.Bowling at over 140 kph, left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer (1-29) dug one in short and Watson watched in horror as the ball crashed into the top of his handle and popped up high to Saeed Ajmal at mid-on.

Shaun Marsh and skipper Ricky Ponting attempted to lift the run-rate but Pakistan struck again when Marsh (15 off 24 balls) drove Mohammad Asif (1-44) straight to Rana Naved-UL-Hasan (1-61) at mid-off.

Positioned at 2-44 after 10 overs, Ponting and vice-captain Michael Clarke set about resurrecting the innings but with Aamer and Asif bowling with their tails up, the task was not easy. A far from capacity crowd tried its best to lift the Aussies with Mexican waves and it seemed to have an effect as Ponting produced a trademark pull to dispatch Asif to the boundary from the first ball of the 15th over.

With captain Mohammad Yousuf putting an attacking field in place, Ponting and Clarke pushed hard for quick singles, at times running the gauntlet with Pakistan’s fielders. The Australian skipper's innings came to an abrupt end when he slashed at Shahid Afridi’s (1-66) bouncing leg-spinner and found substitute fielder Khalid Latif at gully.

Managing just 27 of 47 balls Ponting, departed with the score at 3-84 after 18 overs.

White relieved the pressure when he hit consecutive boundaries off the bowling of Rana while Clarke brought up the 100 in the 21st.

With Clarke and White looking settled, Australia required 157 runs with seven wickets in hand and 25 overs remaining. By comparison, Pakistan was 3-123 after 25 overs, just five ahead of Australia.

Playing a mature and controlled innings, Clarke reached his half-century off 58 balls and White followed soon after notching up his 50 off 52 balls at the start of the 35th over. All the good work Australia had done working the ball around the field nearly came to an end straight after White’s 50 when Clarke top-edged a pull shot from Aamer high to fine-leg.

But poor fielding from Salman Butt let Pakistan down and Australia off the hook as he dropped a sitter.

A ball after bringing up their 100 partnership and with the total at 3-186, the Clarke-White combination was broken when Clarke was run out by Rana after the pair tried to scamper through for a quick single. Rana, who was bowling, dived athletically to dismiss Clarke whose 58 off 76 balls included a remarkable 40 singles.

Sitting at a comfortable 4-200 with 10 overs remaining Australia needed 75 to win and with David Hussey joining White at the crease victory looked a certainty for Australia. White brought the crowd to its feet when he gave Afridi some payback for the Pakistani all-rounder's earlier efforts with the bat, hitting him for three consecutive sixes in the 41st over.

White reached a well-earned century with four overs remaining.

Working the ball for a quick single to mid-wicket, his second ODI century came off 85 balls and included four sixes and seven fours. After receiving a rousing applause from the Gabba crowd, White tried to improve on his highest ODI score of 105 but could only manage to equal it as Rana’s deceptive slower ball crashed into White's stumps in the 47th over.

Hussey (35 n.o.) and Brad Haddin (7 n.o.) guided Australia to victory, with Hussey hitting the winning runs with a four out to the cover boundary and nine balls to spare. Earlier, Afridi’s big hitting late in the Pakistan innings helped to set Australia a target of 275.

Afridi, following on from his Big Bash form, smacked 48 from 26 balls in a stand that included three sixes and five boundaries.

Australian all-rounder Shane Watson eventually claimed Afridi on the way to taking four wickets for an economical 36 runs off his 10 overs. Punchy opener Salman Butt got the visitors off to flyer with a quickfire 72 but some tight bowling by Australia's seamers during the middle of the innings ensured the runs dried up for Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Australian selectors have announced that all-rounder James Hopes has been added to Australia's squad for the second one-day international against Pakistan in Sydney on SundayPunchy opener Salman Butt got the visitors off to flyer with a quickfire 72 but some tight bowling by Australia's seamers during the middle of the innings ensured the runs dried up for Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Australian selectors have announced that all-rounder James Hopes has been added to Australia's squad for the second one-day international against Pakistan in Sydney on Sunday