Zeenews Bureau
Sydney, Feb 24: Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting’s decision to bat first after winning the toss was rewarded immediately as the Oz top order batsmen bludgeoned the Indian bowling attack to put up an imposing 317 runs of their allotted 50 overs. Ponting made 124 while Andrew Symonds added a valuable 59. The start of the Indian chase was disastrous as they were reduced to four wickets down for a paltry 51. A fighting 113 by Gautam Gambhir with contributions from MS Dhoni (36) and Robin Uthappa, however, ensured that the match was kept alive till the end. The Indian innings eventually folded up for 299, handing Australia victory by 18 runs. Ponting was declared man of the match.
Earlier, Brett Lee claimed his second 5 wicket haul of the series against India when he cleaned up the number 11 batsman Ishant Sharma for just 2 runs. The key moments in the latter stages of the chase were when India lost the wickets of Harbhajan Singh and Robin Uthappa in quick succession. In face of the steep run rate, the duo perished in pursuit of quick runs. Uthappa completed a priceless half century off just 43 balls and was the 9th wicket to fall with the Indian total at 290.
It was Uthappa earlier, who in the company of Harbhajan Singh hanged on in search of an improbable victory. The Battle for Sydney was looking set to go down the wire as India needed 33 from the final 3 overs. Irfan Pathan scooped out a simple catch to Bracken for a 20 ball 22. Hopes provided Australia with the much needed breakthrough.
Earlier, Irfan Pathan and Robin Uthappa took of from where Gambhir had left as India continued their courageous fightback. Needing almost 100 runs going into the final 10 overs, the youngsters paced their innings to perfection as India stayed in hunt for an improbable victory.
Gautam Gambhir’s fairytale innings came to a soft end as he was stumped of Hogg’s bowling. Gambhir’s foot was on the line as an agile Gilchrist claimed his 5th dismissal of the match. Gambhir departed for a personal best score of 113 in 119 balls. His knock, which was punctuated with 9 fours and a six, kept India in the hunt as the visitors launched a splendid recovery from being 4 down for 51 at one stage.
Gautam Gambhir’s golden run with the bat continued as he completed his second century of the CB series. He continued his ‘run-slaught’ and in the company of Robin Uthappa added valuable 50 runs in a very quick time. India, in the process also completed their 200 runs in the 38th over.
India’s renaissance bid looked to have received a huge set back when skipper MS Dhoni departed for a resilient knock of 36. He faced 66 deliveries as the Lee-Gilchrist combine brought curtains to the 98 run association. Gambhir and Dhoni had kept India’s hopes alive. With the latter holding his end up, Gambhir went for his shots in pursuit of quick runs as hopes of securing an improbable victory resurfaced. Robin Uthappa then joined Gambhir in the middle as India attempted to make a match out of it.
Gautam Gambhir grafted out a well deserved half century as he, in the company of captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni attempted to rebuild the faltering Indian innings. Gambhir reached the landmark in 64 deliveries, with 5 hits to the fence, as both the batsman indulged in sensible batting. The pair completed their fifty run partnership as well as India crossed the 100 run mark.
Earlier, Yuvraj Singh followed Rohit Sharma and Sehwag to the pavilion as he too was latched up by Gilchrist. Fresh from a match winning knock against Sri Lanka in the previous game, Yuvraj gifted his wicket away to Clark as he carelessly nudged an away going delivery. He made 5. Rohit Sharma too was guilty of fishing unnecessarily outside the off stump to a bracken delivery. He edged a simple catch to Gilly. In the previous over, Stuart Clark had nipped Sehwag’s promising innings in the bud as he enticed a low edge from the Delhi Dasher. Adam Gilchrist took a fine low catch to send Sehwag packing for a 19 ball 18. He hit 3 fours.
The Delhi duo of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir lead India’s fight back as they attempt to rebuild the innings after Sachin’s early departure. Sehwag has looked calm and composed in his brief essay so far, hitting Brett Lee for 3 fours in a single over. On the other hand Gambhir has lived dangerously though he too now looks well set for a good knock.
Meanwhile, Sachin’s woeful form in the CB series continued as he perished to Lee in the first over itself. This was the ninth instance when Lee has got Tendulkar’s wicket. The batting maestro scored just two runs as India, who need to chase down the Australia’s mammoth score of 317 run to qualify for the finals, got of to a worst possible start. Gautam Gambhir joined his Delhi mate Virender Sehwag in the middle.
India got some respite towards the fag end of the Aussie innings as the hosts lost a flurry of quick wickets in a bid to go for quick runs. The twin run outs of Hopes and Lee in the final two deliveries of the penultimate over bowled by Harbhajan Singh meant that the Oz were restricted a score of 317/7 in the allotted 50 overs.
Sreesanth got the consolation wicket of Ricky Ponting as the latter departed for a superb 124 of 132 balls. Ponting also completed his 11000 runs during his marathon knock. Meanwhile, the young Ishant Sharma deceived Andrew Symonds with a clever slower one but not before Symonds completed a brisk half century of just 44 balls. He eventually departed for a 49 ball 59 as Australia press on the accelerator in the slog overs.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting signalled his return to form with a classy century as Australia look set for a huge total. Symmo, who hasn’t been in the best form himself, also looked determined to end his bad run as he hit his 6 boundaries and two sixes in his valuable knock.
Ponting, who until this match, was going through horrendous time with the bat in this series, compiled his priceless century of 109 balls, laced with 6 fours and a towering six.
Earlier, Virender Sehwag did the trick for his captain as he had Michael Clarke caught at mid-wicket by a plucky Rohit Sharma. Clarke scored 31 of just 38 balls without clearing the boundary even once. Andrew Symonds joined Ricky Ponting in the middle. Symmo, who hasn’t been in the best form himself, also looked determined to end his bad run.
All this while, Australian captain Ricky Ponting looked in ominous touch, while his deputy Michael Clarke’s dream run in the series continued as the duo notched up their 50 run partnership. Both the batsmen looked extremely comfortable against the Indian part-timers as they. The hallmark of the partnership was their excellent running between the wickets, though aided by some sloppy Indian fielding.
As both the batsmen look set, India faced a daunting prospect of chasing a huge target.
India had got an important breakthrough as Hayden was run out attempting a non existent single. The burly Queenslander departed for a well made 54 of 62 balls. His knock was studded with 5 fours and a mighty six. Deputy Michael Clarke, who has been in a stupendous form in the series, joined his captain in the middle.
Earlier, Australian captain Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden slammed their first half centuries of the series to bring up their century partnership as well. Both the batsmen were looking to consolidate on their blazing start while Indian bowlers led by offie Harbhajan Singh attempted to pull back the run rate.
Unperturbed by Gilchrist’s dismissal, the Australians raised the 100 in just the 13th over. Matthew Hayden rode his luck as he, in the company of his out-of-form captain Ricky Ponting, attempt to hit their way into form. The duo has been particularly harsh on Sreesanth, who has come in for some heavy stick.
Prior to this onslaught, the pacer provided India the first break through by removing Adam Gilchrist, who until then looked in a menacing form.
Gilchrist, who had raced away to 16 of just 7 balls, was caught brilliantly by Dhoni.
In the first face-off between the two rivals at this venue since the controversial Test match, Gilchrist came out all guns blazing hitting Sreesanth for consecutive boundaries. The comeback man though eventually had the last laugh.
Earlier, Australia won the toss and chose to bat first on a belter of a pitch against India in the 10th ODI of the Commonwealth Bank Series at the Sydney Cricket Ground. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that he too would have liked to have batted first. After a string of low scoring matches, the Sydney pitch promises a high scoring game.
Indian team has made two changes from the side that beat Sri Lanka in Adelaide. Munaf Patel is down with food poisoning and hence makes way for Sreesanth, while opening batsman Virender Sehwag replaces all-rounder Praveen Kumar.
Teams:
India: Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, S Sreesanth
Australia: Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, James Hopes, Andrew Symonds, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark
Umpires: DJ Harper and AL Hill (New Zealand)
TV umpire: BNJ Oxenford
Match referee: JJ Crowe (New Zealand)
Reserve umpire: RD Goodger
