Martyn spurs Australia into ICC Trophy semis

CRICKET: Damien Martyn top-scored with 73 not out to guide world champions Australia into the Champions Trophy semi-finals on Sunday with a convincing six-wicket victory over hosts India.

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting struck 58 and all rounder Shane Watson hammered a 46-ball 50 to spur their team to 252 for four with 4.2 overs to spare after restricting India to 249 for eight in the must-win final Group A clash.

Indian opener Virender Sehwag made 65 and skipper Rahul Dravid, who elected to bat, struck 52 before the Australian pacemen, led by Glenn McGrath, pegged them down on a batting pitch. McGrath, Brett Lee and Nathan Bracken took two wickets apiece.

Australia topped Group A and face New Zealand in the first semi-final on Wednesday in Mohali. Defending champions West Indies take on South Africa in the second semi-final in Jaipur the next day..

INDIA

V. Sehwag lbw b Johnson			 65
S. Tendulkar c Gilchrist b McGrath	 10
D. Mongia c Hussey b Watson		 18
R. Dravid c Clarke b Lee		 52
M. Kaif b Lee				 30
M. Dhoni lbw b Bracken			 28
S. Raina c Watson b Bracken		 13
I. Pathan c Martyn b McGrath		 10
H. Singh not out			  5
Extras (lb-5 nb-4 w-9)			 18
TOTAL (for 8 wickets, 50 overs)		249

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-46, 2-89, 3-126, 4-186, 5-197, 6-224, 7-239, 8-249

Did not bat: M. Patel, S. Sreesanth                                

BOWLING: B. Lee 10-1-54-2 (nb-3 w-1), G. McGrath 10-1-34-2, 
N. Bracken 10-2-56-2 (w-1), M. Johnson 8-0-33-1 (nb-1), 
S. Watson 9-0-48-1 (w-7), A. Symonds 3-0-19-0.                  
               

AUSTRALIA

A. Gilchrist c Raina b Sreesanth	 23
S. Watson lbw b Mongia			 50
R. Ponting c Tendulkar b Sreesanth	 58
D. Martyn not out			 73
A. Symonds b Pathan			 20
M. Clarke not out			  2
Extras(lb-8 w-18)			 26
TOTAL(for 4 wickets, 45.4 overs)	252

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-61, 2-111, 3-185, 4-230

Did not bat: M. Hussey, B. Lee, M. Johnson, N. Bracken, G. McGrath           

BOWLING: I. Pathan 7-0-42-1 (w-3), M. Patel 8.4-0-61-0 (w-3),
S. Sreesanth 8-1-43-2 (w-3), H. Singh 10-0-49-0 (w-1), 
D. Mongia 9-0-36-1 (w-2), V. Sehwag 3-0-13-0.  

MOHALI, India, Sunday Reuters