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| Saturday, 7 February 2004 |
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Australia win first final MELBOURNE, Friday (Reuters) Captain Ricky Ponting blasted 88 off 80 balls to lead Australia to a seven-wicket victory over India on Friday and a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three limited overs finals series. Chasing India's 222 all out off 49 overs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the world champions reached 224 for three from 40.1 overs to cruise to victory with 59 balls to spare. Ponting and Matthew Hayden (50) shared a second wicket partnership of 139 off 151 balls to blunt India's attack led by 22-year-old seamer Lakshmipathy Balaji, who took three for 52. Hemang Badani (60 not out) and Ajit Agarkar (53) put on 102 runs for the seventh wicket to lift India towards a competitive total after the first six wickets fell for just 75 runs in 21.1 overs. The 27-year-old Badani paced India's innings and hit four boundaries, facing 81 balls in his fourth one-day half-century. The left hander has a highest score of 100. Agarkar made his third half-century in 127 one-day internationals. The 26-year-old struck four fours and two sixes in an entertaining 62-ball innings after coming to the crease at 75 for six when all hope of a total above 200 had seemed lost. India's openers Virender Sehwag (3) and Sachin Tendulkar (8) fell inside the first six overs. Sehwag popped a short ball from Jason Gillespie (2-39) to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist in the third over at six for one and eight runs later Tendulkar was bowled by Brett Lee. |
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