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BANGALORE, India, Nov 12: Skipper Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist hammered rapid-fire centuries to shape Australia’s 61-run victory over India in a triangular one-day cricket series match on Wednesday.
Ponting hit a 103-ball 108 not out and Gilchrist 111 off 104 balls as world champions Australia posted a massive 347 for two wickets after electing to bat on a good pitch in a day-night game.
India were virtually batted out of the match before finishing at 286 for eight wickets despite a robust 89 from master batsman Sachin Tendulkar.
Tendulkar sustained India’s hopes of chasing the highest-ever total to win a match, but his brilliance was just not good enough to stop Australia from scoring a fifth successive victory.
India and New Zealand will now clash in the last league match at Hyderabad on Saturday to decide Australia’s opponents in the final.
Tendulkar put on 103 for the opening wicket with Virender Sehwag (39) before skipper Sourav Ganguly tried to keep the momentum with an attractive 31-ball 37, but the Australian total remained beyond India’s reach.
Tendulkar hit one six and 12 fours in his 91-ball knock before inside-edging a low delivery from Ian Harvey on to his stumps.
Ponting, who scored an unbeaten 140 in the Cup final, yet again proved India’s tormentor after Gilchrist had put his team on course for a big total with his ninth century.
The Australian captain put the Indian attack to the sword after an uncertain start against spin, hitting seven sixes in an awesome display of clean and hard hitting during his 15th hundred.
India had to pay dearly for letting off Ponting on 25 when wicket-keeper Rahul Dravid failed to bring off a stumping off left-arm spinner Murali Kartik.
Damien Martyn also joined the run-feast, making 61 off 50 balls in a 149-run stand for the unfinished third wicket with his captain.
Gilchrist put on 119 with Hayden (44), the pair’s ninth century-plus stand for the opening wicket and the fourth against India.
The fireworks began immediately after Ponting had won the toss as Gilchrist and Hayden plundered 15 runs in the opening over of the innings by left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra.
The Australian batting continued to flourish till the last over, thanks to Ponting and Gilchrist.
AUSTRALIA
A.Gilchrist c Khan b Kumble 111
M.Hayden run out 44
R.Ponting not out 108
D.Martyn not out 61
EXTRAS: (b-1 lb-9 nb-1 w-12) 23
TOTAL: (two wickets, 50 overs) 347
DID NOT BAT: A.Symonds, M.Bevan, M.Clarke, I.Harvey, A.Bichel, M. Kasprowicz, B.Williams.
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-119 2-198
BOWLING: Nehra 10-0-80-0 (nb-1), Zaheer 10-0-67-0 (w-1), Kumble 9-0-60-1 (w-5), Sehwag 5-0-36-0, Kartik 10-2-51-0, Ganguly 2-0-10-0 (w-1), Yuvraj Singh 4-0-33-0 (w-5)
INDIA
V.Sehwag b Harvey 39
S.Tendulkar b Harvey 89
V.Laxman c Symonds b Clarke 18
S.Ganguly c Bichel b Symonds 37
R.Dravid c & b Kasprowicz 34
Y.Singh lbw b Symonds 20
M.Kaif b Symonds 8
Z.Khan run out 2
A.Kumble not out 12
M.Kartik not out 4
EXTRAS: (b-5 lb-6 w-11 nb-1) 23
TOTAL: (eight wickets, 50 overs) 286
DID NOT BAT: A.Nehra.
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-103 2-148 3-172
4-217 5-254 6-254 7-259 8-277
BOWLING: Williams 8-0-43-0 (w-5), Kasprowicz 10-0-37-1 (nb-1 w-2), Bichel 9-0-46-0 (w-2), Symonds 9-0-42-3 (w-2), Harvey 10-0-71-2, Clarke 4-0-36-1.
NEXT GAME: Saturday: India v New Zealand, Hyderabad—Reuters
