Shane Watson made a triumphant return by captaining Australia to an emphatic 87-run victory over India yesterday and ensuring the hosts a place in the final of the one-day international tri-series.
Watson, who last played for his country in South Africa in November last year, before being sidelined by injury, stood in for injured skipper Michael Clarke and took two wickets for nine runs as his team bowled out India for 165 in reply to Australia’s 252-9.
India now need a bonus-point victory over Sri Lanka in Hobart tomorrow and to rely on Australia beating their sub-continental rivals in Melbourne on Friday to have any hope of progressing to the best-of-three final.
Photo: EPA
After Watson’s batting return had ended with just a single run, David Warner scored his first half-century of the year in limited overs cricket, wicketkeeper Matt Wade hit 56 and David Hussey a controversial 54 to fire Australia’s innings.
Hussey was on 17 and running for a single when he put out his hand to block fielder Suresh Raina’s throw to the stumps. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni appealed for an “obstructing the field” dismissal, but umpire Billy Bowden turned him down after a long consultation with the third umpire, deciding that the batsman was protecting himself from injury.
Warner was dispatched by left-armer Ravindra Jadeja for 68, but even in taking his wicket India suffered, Raina taking a superb catch, but clattering into Irfan Pathan as he did so and leaving his teammate only able to bowl five overs.
Photo: AFP
Dhoni, who once again had to deny rumors of rifts this week, allowed Virender Sehwag nine overs with the ball and was rewarded with three wickets for 43 from the veteran as India slowed Australia’s run rate in the last 10 overs of the innings.
Sachin Tendulkar was cheered on to the field by the 33,639 crowd as he marched out to open the India innings and continue his quest for his 100th international century.
The batting maestro had made just 14 runs, though, when he was run out, waving his arms in frustration at Brett Lee, who had unintentionally blocked his path to the crease.
By that stage Sehwag had already departed for 5, and when Virat Kohli (21) and Gautam Gambhir (23) were dismissed in successive overs, India were struggling at 83-4.
Watson, who had Kohli caught by Dan Christian at midwicket in his first full over, then removed Raina caught behind for 8 to drive home the advantage.
Dhoni, returning after a one-match ban because of a slow over rate, battled for 49 balls to give his country a captain’s innings, but when he was trapped leg before by Ben Hilfenhaus he had just 14 runs on the board.
The end game was afoot and although Irfan (22) and Ravi Ashwin (26) wagged the tail a bit, the large Indian contingent in the crowd had long gone quiet when Xavier Doherty bowled Praveen Kumar to end another miserable night in Australia for the tourists.
PAKISTAN V ENGLAND
AFP, DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Jonny Bairstow hit a maiden half-century and paceman Steven Finn took three wickets to guide England to a comfortable 38-run win in the second Twenty20 international against Pakistan on Saturday.
Bairstow’s 60 off 46 balls, studded with two sixes and five fours, helped England recover from a precarious 79-4 to post a challenging 150-7, before Finn claimed 3-30 to bowl Pakistan out for 112 in 18.2 overs at Dubai Stadium.
England’s victory leveled the Twenty20 series and set up an intriguing third and final match in Abu Dhabi today.
Pakistan were off to a disastrous start when Finn had Mohammad Hafeez caught off the second ball of the innings for a duck and then removed a threatening Umar Akmal (19 off 12).
Pakistan were dealt further crucial blows when Awais Zia (6), Asad Shafiq (1) and Shoaib Malik (12) were out, leaving half the side back in the pavilion with just 50 on the board.
Shahid Afridi (25) lifted the tempo with two fours and a six off Samit Patel, taking 17 off the left-arm spinner’s 12th over, but England hit back by dismissing Misbah-ul-Haq (13).
Hammad Azam (21 off 15) hit a four and a six off Ravi Bopara as Pakistan accumulated 11 off the 14th over and then he hit two boundaries off skipper Stuart Broad to reduce the target to 54 off the last five, but Bopara dismissed Azam to once more peg Pakistan back at 98-7 and the task of getting 39 in the last two overs proved too much.
Broad and Graeme Swann took two wickets apiece.
“We talked about the comeback and I think the guys showed a lot of character,” Broad said.
Pakistan captain Misbah blamed poor batting by his teammates.
“I think 151 was a getable target because the wicket had nothing for the bowlers, but we had a very poor start and then lost wickets regularly, and you don’t win matches after that,” Misbah said.
Earlier, Bairstow made an unbeaten 60 to help England recover after Broad won the toss and opted to bat.
Bairstow, who made his debut last year, improved on his unbeaten 22 he made during England’s eight-run defeat in the first match on Thursday, opening up with a four off Afridi and he hit a six in the leg-spinner’s next over to lift the scoring rate.
Bairstow added 39 for the fifth wicket with Patel (13) and then hit Umar Gul for a six, before the bowler finished with 2-31.
England got off to a flying start, making 35 by the fifth over, before Pakistan hit back by dismissing Kevin Pietersen (17), Bopara (1) and Eoin Morgan (9) in the space of 14 runs.
Bairstow and opener Craig Kieswetter (31) added 30 for the fourth wicket as Pakistan bowled well in the middle overs.
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