SYDNEY: Persistent rain washed out the tri-series match between Australia and India in Sydney on Monday.

In a late start, India, asked to bat first, reached 69-2 before rain fell again at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The outcome means India will play England at Perth’s WACA Ground on Friday for a place in the final of the one-day tri-series.

The winners of that game will face Australia — who are unbeaten in four matches in the series — in Sunday’s final also in Perth.

After a delayed start, with returning Australian captain George Bailey winning the toss and electing to bowl, the Indian innings lasted just 16 overs before the players were forced from the field.

While the match was brief, it lasted long enough to confirm the shaky form of opener Shikhar Dhawan.

With Rohit Sharma out injured, Dhawan has been holding onto his place. But he failed again, making just eight before being caught by Aaron Finch off the bowling of Mitchell Starc (1-11).

The 29-year-old has made just 11 runs in three innings in the tri-series at 3.66, after making 168 runs in the preceding Test series against Australia at 28.

The other man to fall was Ambati Rayudu, superbly caught for 23 by David Warner off the bowling of Mitchell Marsh (1-21).

The return of Marsh was one of four changes to the Australian team, with Bailey also recalled after serving a one-match ban for slow over rates.

Spinner Xavier Doherty and paceman Josh Hazlewood also came into the side, with Pat Cummins, Moises Henriques, Cameron White and Gurinder Sandhu all missing from the side that beat England on Friday.

India recalled paceman Ishant Sharma and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja for the game, but neither saw any action.

Scoreboard

INDIA:

A.M. Rahane not out 28

S. Dhawan c Finch b Starc 8

A.T. Rayudu c Warner b Marsh 23

V. Kohli not out 3

EXTRAS (W-7) 7

TOTAL (for two wkts, 16 overs) 69

FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-62.

DID NOT BAT: S.K. Raina, M.S. Dhoni, S.T.R. Binny, A.R. Patel, R.A. Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, I. Sharma.

BOWLING: Starc 4-0-11-1 (1w); Hazlewood 5-0-25-0 (3w); Marsh 3-0-21-1 (2w); Doherty 3-0-10-0 (1w); Faulkner 1-0-2-0.

AUSTRALIA: A.J. Finch, D.A. Warner, G.J. Maxwell, S.P.D. Smith, G.J. Bailey, M.R. Marsh, B.J. Haddin, J.P. Faulkner, M.A. Starc, J.R. Hazlewood, X.J. Doherty.

RESULT: Match abandoned due to rain.

UMPIRES: P. Wilson (Australia) and M. Erasmus (South Africa).

TV UMPIRE: M.D. Martell (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: A.J. Pycroft (Zimbabwe).

NEXT MATCH: England vs India, Perth, Friday.

Published in Dawn January 27th, 2015

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