Team India win by 5 wickets.

Font Size: Decrease Increase
• Print Page:

Malcolm Conn | February 11, 2008

A BRAVE bowling performance last night almost stole Australia a match against India it never deserved to win after a lamentable batting display saw the world champions bundled out for just 159.

On a slow and difficult MCG pitch in front of 50,000 spectators, India scrambled home to win by five wickets with 4.1 overs to spare in a tense conclusion which will never be reflected in the scorebook.

The victory breathed new life into a low-key one-day series, giving Australia and India a win each after the opening two matches in Brisbane were washed out.

It also gave India a statistically impressive recent record against Australia, having now won three of its past six one-day games against the hosts.

Australia has won two and there was the Gabba wash-out last week, although it can equally be claimed that India has won just three of its past 17 matches against Australia.

Australia's innings lasted just 43.1 overs, with only an unbeaten 65 from Mike Hussey offering any real resistance.

India was cruising to a seemingly inevitable victory as long as Sachin Tendulkar was at the crease.

But when the Little Master was wonderfully caught by Brett Lee overhead at mid-off from a lofted drive against Mitchell Johnson, India had stumbled to 4-96 and had lost the only player who had shown any domination.

Tendulkar's 44 from 54 balls with three fours was a complete contrast to the timid approach by his team-mates. When the out-of-sorts Yuvraj Singh fell to a well-planned trap India was 5-102 and the match was very much in the balance.

Ricky Ponting moved a man to short cover the delivery before the powerful but unreliable left-hander launched himself at a Stuart Clark slower ball and was caught low by Michael Hussey.

Despite claiming only the one wicket Clark, playing his first game of the one-day series after replacing spinner Brad Hogg in the side, bowled magnificently to concede just 25 runs from his 10 overs. And Johnson was even better, using his left-arm angle to advantage to finish with 2-25 from his 10 overs.

India's last recognised batsmen Rohit Sharma (39 from 61 balls) and captain MS Dhoni (17 from 54) hung on grimly, soaking up the overs and forcing Ponting to bowl his part-timers. Australia badly missed the all-round abilities of James Hopes, who was left out because of hamstring tightness.

The match began with another example of the umpiring crisis damaging international cricket's already tarnished credibility.

Struggling South African umpire Rudi Koertzen gave retiring Australia star Adam Gilchrist out leg before wicket to the third ball of the game when the left-hander hit the ball into his pads.

That India appealed so vigorously for such a blatant inside edge was remarkable given the pointed claim of its Test captain Anil Kumble last month that Australia had failed to play within the spirit of the game during the dramatic second Test in Sydney.

Considered perhaps thebest umpire in the world at the turn of the century, Koertzen has become worryingly poor in recent seasons.

He made another shocking decision during the Hobart Test against Sri Lanka in November, robbing Kumar Sangakkara of a double century after giving him out caught when the ball clearly lobbed from shoulder and helmet.

There are just 10 umpires on the International Cricket Council's elite panel and only eight of them remain acceptable to India following the unprincipled dumping of Steve Bucknor last month and Darrell Hair two years ago.

Teenage Indian paceman Ishant Sharma (4-38) confirmed his standing as the find of the summer having been given his chance because of injuries to more senior bowlers. After an excellent Test series, Sharma went into last night's match with just one wicket in a one-day career which spanned only three games.

Combining swing and seam with good pace and bounce from his high action, Sharma troubled all the batsmen. He had an at times scratchy Matthew Hayden (25 from 21 balls) caught behind driving, an out of sorts Ponting (nine in 15 balls) caught at first slip by Sachin Tendulkar and Andrew Symonds (14 in 24 balls) caught behind.

Sharma deservedly claimed the last wicket when Clark was caught behind from an outswinger.

i got this snippet from the Australian herald......Indian captain did say then that only one team plaed in the spirit of the game....but it was not this Indian captain ,infact this Indian side is totally different except for a few..😉....so the one who said is in India now.......😉