Australia squeaks through

Australia’s bowlers rescued their team with a good performance and allowed them to escape with a win from this low scoring match against India.

Having won the toss and electing to bat first, Australia started solidly, with Hayden making 54 before being run out. Poor running between wickets also saw Martyn run out. Haddin was also nearly run out, but the bails were adjudged to have been broken by Harbhajan’s hand rather than the ball and Haddin had a lucky escape. The rest of the Australian top and middle order came and went in regular succession.

At 117/6, Australia didn?t look like reaching 200. However, Haddin and Hogg saved Australia from embarrassment by combining for a 77-run partnership.

India came into bat looking like a real chance of being the team to join the West Indies in the Final.

However, by the fourth over, Lee had both openers Tendulkar and Sehwag, back in the pavilion, and India was on the back foot. All the Australian bowlers chimed in with wickets at regular intervals but India continued to whittle down the required runs from the modest total required. Lee captured the danger man Dhoni for 23 and finished off the tail of Singh and Patel to claim the match for Australia.

Mongia who remained 63 not out ran out of partners as India perished at the hands of a consistent Australian bowling attack.

Apart from Lee’s 5-38, there was also a fine all round performance from Brad Hogg who took 2-48 as well as making a valuable 38 runs.

Australia play the West Indies in the Final of the DLF Cup on Sunday.

Australia 213 (48.1)
Matthew Hayden 54 (66), Brad Haddin 46 (63)
Rudra Pratap Singh 2-43 (9.1), Ajit Agarkar 2-44 (8), Harbhajan Singh 2-24 (10)

Australia won by 18 runs

India 195 (43.5)
Dinesh Mongia 63* (90), Suresh Raina 26 (36)
Brett Lee 5-38 (8.5), Brad Hogg 2-48 (10), Stuart Clark 2-36 (8)

Cricket Web Man of The Match
Brett Lee