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Untitled Document
 Australia trounce India in Vadodara
11th Oct 2007 16:30 IST
Agencies
India paid a heavy price for their pathetic batting display against Australia who humiliated the hosts with an emphatic nine-wicket victory in the fifth one-dayer to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the seven-match series at The IPCL Stadium in Vadodara today.
The Australians first bundled out the home team for a paltry 148 in 39.4 overs and then raced to the target with 24.1 overs to spare in a totally lop-sided contest.
Pacer Mitchell Johnson wrecked the Indian innings with a devastating 5/26 while Brett Lee chipped in with 2/42 as the strong Indian batting line-up surprisingly caved in without much of a fight on a good batting track.
Only Sachin Tendulkar, playing his 400th ODI, stood bravely amid the ruins with a 73-ball 47 while Zaheer Khan (28) and Irfan Pathan (26) were the other notable contributors.
The Australians hit up the required runs without much fuss with Adam Gilchrist returning to form with an unbeaten 77-ball 79 and captain Ricky Ponting scoring 39 not out to steer the team to a facile win.
Apart from his batting fireworks, Gilchrist made the match memorable for himself by pouching a record-equalling six catches, the fifth time he has performed the feat. Johnson also stole the spotlight with his career-best five wicket haul which earned him the man-of-the-match award.
The visitors were never troubled in the run-chase though India started with the unusual combination of off spinner Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer to open their attack.
The spinner got the ball to turn and bounce. But Zaheer was carted around by Matthew Hayden, who batted as imposingly as ever despite a groin strain suffered while taking two runs. The Aussie opening pair of Hayden and Gilchrist put on 54 runs to put the visitors on the victory path.
After Hayden, who batted with a runner, fell dragging a ball from Rudra Pratap Singh on to his stumps, Gilchrist took over the attacking reins and smashed left arm spinner Murali Kartik, who bowled impressively on his comeback after 20 months in the previous tie, for three sixes in an over.
The Aussie wicketkeeper had mustered only 59 runs in the first four ties but looked a different batsman today. He also added 95 runs for the unbroken second wicket in 13 overs with skipper Ponting to steer the visitors home with plenty to spare.
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