Print

Mail

wiki links

Australia dominates India with a 61-run victory

Centuries by opener Adam Gilchrist and skipper Ricky Ponting spurred world champion Australia to a 61-run victory over India in a limited-over tri-series cricket match Wednesday.

Gilchrist's smashing 111 and Ponting's unbeaten 108 lifted Australia to a massive 347 for two in 50 overs. In reply, India could only reach 286 for eight in 50 overs despite a fighting 89 by star batsman Sachin Tendulkar.

The Aussies topped the preliminary league standings with 28 points from six games, leaving India and New Zealand locked in a stiff contest for the second spot in the Nov. 18 final.

India faces the prospect of missing its own tri-series final if it doesn't win Saturday's last league match against New Zealand in Hyderabad.

Going into Saturday's game, both India and New Zealand have 10 points from five matches.

Gilchrist struck one six and 14 boundaries from 104 deliveries to post his ninth one-day century, sparking the Aussie run-riot with an opening stand of 119 with Matt Hayden (44) and then putting on 79 brisk runs with Ponting, who made India pay dearly for a muffed stumping to blaze seven huge sixes.

"We got off to a sensational start and maintained the momentum," said Ponting. "The pitch was very good for batters, the best we've had on this tour of India."

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly said the Aussies batted his team out of this match.

"Chasing 347 was always going to a bit too much," said Ganguly, who Wednesday returned from a monthlong layoff for surgery on his thigh.

Given a life on 25 by Rahul Dravid's missed stumping off left-arm spinner Murali Kartik, Ponting responded by hitting Kartik, leg-spinner Anil Kumble and left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan for two sixes each on way to his 15th one-day hundred. Ponting, who lofted part-time left-arm spinner Yuvraj Singh over long-off for his seventh six, had just one grounded hit to the fence from 102 balls.

Ponting hammered the Indian attack during his unbroken 149-run partnership for the third wicket with Damien Martyn, who remained unbeaten on 61 off 50 balls.

The Aussies got off to a flying start with Gilchrist and Hayden, both returning from a one-match rest, flaying India's pace attack for 100 in 13.1 overs.

Left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra, returning after ankle surgery to play his first match since the World Cup in March, was punished for 80 runs in 10 overs, starting with 15 in the match's first over as Gilchrist struck him for three boundaries.

Another seam bowler, Andrew Symonds claimed three for 42 as India lost its way.
This story has been viewed 1669 times.