Debutant Mathew Wade player of the match:
Aussies romp home to victory
Hosts Australia who are making a strong bid to carry away the
Commonwealth Bank Trophy made the ideal start when they beat India by 65
runs in a game reduced to 32 overs because of rain at the MCG here
today. After making 216 for 5 in their 32 overs, Australia shot out the
Indians for 151 in 29.4 overs. Mathew Wade was the player of the match.
The Aussies gained a valuable bonus point.
Australia owe this victory to Mathew Wade, the Hussey brothers and
their hard working bowlers Mitch Starc 2 for 33, Clint Mckay 4 for 20
and Xavier Doherty 2 for 36. The home team played the better cricket and
deserved their victory which should give them the necessary inspiration
and confidence to keep winning.
After Sachin Tendulkar failed again making 2 and Gautam Gambhir went
for 5, Virat Kholi and Rohit Sharma tried hard to put the batting back
on the rails. But after putting on 51, Kholi went for 31 and Sharma
followed for 21 and Suresh Raina went for 4 at 77 and the batting was in
tatters again.
Captain Dhoni and Ravi Jadeja 19 put on 38 for the sixth wicket, but
the Indians were far behind the required run rate and looking down the
barrel. Although Dhoni played a lone hand in making 29, the Indians were
forced t concede defeat.
For Australia Matthew Wade and Daniel Christian made their debuts.
India tossed in Sachin Tendulkar and left out Virender Sehwag who has
been hopelessly out of form in this series.
Australia who was put into bat made an impressive 216 for 5 in their
32 overs.
The Aussies made a shock start losing dashing opener David Warner for
6 and veteran Ricky Ponting 2 to right arm paceman Vinay Kumar who was
threatening and at one stage were 3 for 49.
Warner who was expected to continue his big hitting was bowled
through the gate and Ponting attempting a drive dollied to Raina at shot
mid off. When the rains came down Australia were for 35 for 2 in 11
overs.
Australia must thank debutant wicket keeper batsman Matthew Wade and
the two Hussey brothers Michael and David for taking them to a
challenging total after the early shocks.
After the third wicket fell at 49 that of Michael Clarke for 10, Wade
and Hussey put on a quick 73 in 50 deliveries which restored the
innings. Wade who is showing a lot of promise continued from where he
left off in the Twenty20 games and made a scintillating 67 from 69 balls
with 4 fours and 2 sixes.
Michael Hussey who is known as the man for the occasion blasted 45 in
32 balls with 4 fours and put on 32 runs with his brother David. David
also showed good form in making an unbeaten 61 in just 30 balls with 4
fours and 3 sixes. Daniel Christian too hit hard to remain unbeaten on
17 in 16 balls. Vinay Kumar bowled intelligently to have the good
figures of 3 for 21 in 7 overs.
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