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Untitled Document
 Batting blues for India at Adelaide
17th Feb 2008 18:00 IST
Agencies
Earlier, Michael Clarke played a lone hand in providing Australia with a fighting total.
The middle-order batsman held his ground while the rest keep falling from the other end as he compiled 79 in team's total of 203/9 in allotted 50 overs.
Indian fast bowlers, led by the impressive Pathan and the irrepressible Ishant Sharma, had Australia in complete disarray for most of the innings after the hosts had won the toss and chosen to bat.
Ishant took 2/32 and had Australia on the ropes early even though Irfan finished with the best figures of 4/41.
Opting to go into the game with five bowlers after resting Virender Sehwag, India did almost nothing wrong in the field from the very word go.
Sehwag, who had blasted a century against Australia at this very ground last month in the last Test, was put to the bench despite reporting almost fit from his back-strain as Dhoni preferred to keep faith in his deputy Yuvraj rather than trust Sehwag as India took the big gamble in a critical game.
Australia had moved to 25 by the sixth over without much trouble when Ishant provided the breakthrough with Adam Gilchrist (15) inside-edging a cut on to his stumps.
Munaf Patel, who was carted over wide long on for a six by Hayden in his first over, was rewarded in his third over when out-of-form Ricky Ponting (10) slashed a cut to Rohit Sharma at backward point.
Australia were soon 43/3 when Hayden erred in cutting a bouncing delivery in Pathan's first over into Dhoni's gloves.
The hosts lost another wicket when Andrew Symonds (3) didn't pull his bat out of the way of a rising Ishant delivery and a reluctant cut went to Robin Uthappa at gully.
Australia's scoring dropped as they had managed only 73 from 23-odd overs when Michael Hussey (5) gave Pathan his second wicket to leave his team stuttering at 73/5.
Clarke then took roots and Hopes (19) was an able foil as 39 runs were realised for the sixth wicket before Harbhajan Singh broke the stand by beating Hopes with a wrong'un and Dhoni effected an easy stumping.
Clarke was well supported by Hogg (32) for the seventh wicket as 72 runs were gathered before the latter was run-out.
Australia lost Clarke three runs later when the elegant right-hander pulled a longhop from Pathan to Ishant at square leg fence. He faced 108 balls for his 79 and hit six fours.
Pathan picked up his fourth scalp in the same over as Nathan Bracken (0) edged one to Dhoni.
Australia also managed to bag an additional bonus point from the win and are virtually assured of a place in the final as they lead the table with 17 points in the kitty from five matches.
India remain second with eight points from as many games, while Sri Lanka have six from four outings. |
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