02 February 2004	Monday	10 Zilhaj 1424

PERTH, Feb 1: Acting captain Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds added 122 from 97 balls to lift Australia to a five-wicket victory over India in the triangular series One-day International here on Sunday.

The pair came together at 37 for three with Australia chasing 204 to win and proceeded to take the sting out of the India attack with a stunning exhibition of big hitting.

Irfan Pathan dismissed Symonds for 73 in the 22nd over and Gilchrist for 75 two overs later, both caught in the deep, before Australia eased home with 18 overs to spare.

Gilchrist hit 11 fours and one six and faced just 67 balls, while Symonds also clubbed 11 boundaries plus two sixes and faced 59 deliveries.

Brett Lee took three for 22 to spearhead Australia's pace attack in dismissing India for 203, which included an attacking innings of 47 from Yuvraj Singh.

Australia and India have already qualified for the best-of-three finals series which starts in Melbourne on Friday.

"I guess looking at the result today it would have been nice playing India on a few more wickets like that," said Gilchrist.

"It would be lovely to play them in a final like that."

Zimbabwe, who are without a win in the series, will play India in Perth on Tuesday in the African side's final match.

Lee, returning from a dip in form, thrived in the pacy conditions at the WACA Ground.

The 27-year-old from Sydney dismissed Sachin Tendulkar for five and Vangipurappu Laxman for one, ending Laxman's bid for three consecutive centuries in one-day internationals.

Lee then bowled Rohan Gavaskar for six at 101 for six.

Opener Virender Sehwag was caught at third man by Lee for 32 off the bowling of Jason Gillespie and Andy Bichel had India captain Saurav Ganguly caught behind for one at 57 for four.

The fourth member of Australia's pace attack, Brad Williams, had Rahul Dravid caught at gully by debutant Mike Hussey for 13 at 79 for five.

Ajit Agarkar was run out for nine and Yuvraj followed 13 runs later when he was caught behind off Symonds.

Pathan also fell to Symonds for 20 while Murali Kartik made an unbeaten 32 as India put on 61 for the last two wickets.

India swing bowler Agarkar removed Matthew Hayden for a duck and Damien Martyn for two, both in the third over, and Lakshmipathy Balaji had Michael Clarke caught at first slip by Virender Sehwag for two.

Wicket-keeper/batsman Gilchrist, leading the side with Ricky Ponting rested for this match, was dropped at second slip by Laxman in the first over of the innings before he had scored.

Scoreboard

INDIA:

S.C. Tendulkar c Hayden b Lee 5

V. Sehwag c Lee b Gillespie 32

V.V.S. Laxman c Gilchrist b Lee 1

R.S. Dravid c Hussey b Williams 13

S.C. Ganguly c Gilchrist b Bichel 1

Yuvraj Singh c Gilchrist b Symonds 47

R.S. Gavaskar b Lee 6

A.B. Agarkar run out 9

I.K. Pathan c Bichel b Symonds 20

M. Kartik not out 32

L. Balaji run out 11

EXTRAS (LB-7, W-16, NB-3) 26

TOTAL (all out, 49.0 overs) 203

FALL OF WKTS: 1-20, 2-32, 3-50, 4-57, 5-79, 6-101, 7-129, 8-142, 9-172.

BOWLING: Gillespie 10-0-51-1 (2w); Lee 10-2-22-3 (3nb, 1w); Williams 7-2-23-1 (7w); Bichel 7-0-44-1; Symonds 10-0-37-2 (5w); Hussey 3-0-15-0 (1w); Clarke 2-0-4-0.

AUSTRALIA:

A.C. Gilchrist c Balaji b Pathan 75

M.L. Hayden c Gavaskar b Agarkar 0

D.R. Martyn c Laxman b Agarkar 2

M.J. Clarke c Sehwag b Balaji 2

A. Symonds c Laxman b Pathan 73

S.M. Katich not out 18

M.E.K. Hussey not out 17

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-2, W-14) 17

TOTAL (for five wkts, 32.0 overs) 204

FALL OF WKTS: 1-14, 2-16, 3-37, 4-159, 5-165.

DID NOT BAT: A.J. Bichel, B. Lee, J.N. Gillespie, B.A. Williams.

BOWLING: Agarkar 9-0-56-2 (6w); Pathan 8-0-69-2 (6w); Balaji 10-1-37-1 (1w); Kartik 5-0-39-0 (1w).

RESULT: Australia won by five wickets.

UMPIRES:D.J. Harper (Australia) and S.A. Bucknor (West Indies).

TV UMPIRE: S.J.A. Taufel (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: C.H. Lloyd (West Indies).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Adam Gilchrist.

NEXT MATCH: India v Zimbabwe, in Perth (D/N), Feb 3. -Reuters

Standings
(Tabulated under played, won, lost, bonus points, no result, points):
Australia      8       6      1     3       1        37
India          7       4      3     1       0        23
Zimbabwe       7       0      6     0       1         6