Aust. take series lead at Kochi

Australia have reaffirmed their supremacy in limited overs cricket with a comprehensive 84 run victory over India at Kochi today.

The victory wasn’t always a certainty after Indian captain MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to field, a move that paid immediate dividends. It was a miracle there hwas play at all when plenty of overnight rain and a drenched outfield threatened to prematurely end yet another ODI after rain saved India in the first match of the series at Bangalore.

Stand in captain, Adam Gilchrist had to run straight from the toss to pad up to take to the crease and it wasn’t long before he was running back to the dressing rooms after Zaheer Khan made the early breakthrough in the second over of the match, his first. Gilchrist mistimed a drive and was caught by Sachin Tendulkar at first slip for a duck.

New man in, Brad Hodge didn’t last long when Sreesanth had him edging it to the ‘keeper for just the three runs, the Victorian not making the most of his chances and with Ricky Ponting on the verge of returning from a hamstring injury his place in the side will be under immense pressure and speculation.

With the score at 2-8, Michael Clarke came to the crease in similar circumstances to his superb display at Bangalore where he saved Australia’s innings with a memorable century. Together with Hayden, he helped consolidate the total, playing risk free cricket in a 58 run partnership that helped kick start Australia’s innings before he was given out in dramatic circumstances.

On 27, Clarke was stumped of Dhoni off the bowling of Pathan. The square leg umpire gave him out however a lengthy debate with the third umpire ensured with Clarke waiting on the sidelines, the huge crowd suddenly brought to life. Eventually he was given out with the match very much in the balance, Australia on 3-66.

Andrew Symonds joined his Queensland team-mate at the crease and it wasn’t long before the momentum swung completely into Australia’s favour as both batsmen commencing a quality innings of power hitting with only the faintest touch of control.

Symonds launched into Pathan early on, helping himself to 13 runs in the 20th over and Hayden had Harbhajan Singh dispatched for six only a couple of deliveries later. Both continued on their merry way as the partnership approached triple figures, only for Pathan to ruin the Australian party when the partnership was on 94.

Pathan delivered a beautiful yorker that had Hayden all over the place along with his leg-stump. Hayden had done his job though, a solid 75 that had really set the foundations for a big Australian score after the setbacks early on.

Symonds was joined by Brad Haddin at the crease and it wasn’t long before he brought up an effortless 50 coming in a respectable 46 balls with the Australian score at a healthy 4-163.

It got worse for the Indians as the two batsmen put on a fine display of one-day batting, restrained and picking off the runs, they accumulated and accumulated, Haddin in particular giving Australian fans a glimpse into life after Gilchrist.

The two batsmen bought up their hundred partnership with Australia looking in supreme touch at this stage with the Indian bowlers lacking answers to curb the revitalised Australian batting.

The breakthroughs for India came towards the end of the innings with Symonds caught and bowled to end a great knock of 87 by Sreesanth in front of an ecstatic home crowd. His send off was a sight to behold as the erratic fast bowler gave him a big piece of his mind on the way back to the pavilion. Haddin finished on the same score, only undefeated bringing up his highest international tally, taking Australia’s score to a daunting 6-306 in the process.

In a similar script to Bangalore, the Indian bowlers bowled superbly early on but were just not able to finish the job and increase the pressure on the Australian batsmen, eventually losing the plot in the middle overs. Pathan was the pick of the bowlers for India with 2-47 from his 10 overs and Sreesanth took three wickets at a costly 67 runs in front of his adoring home crowd.

India’s reply started off aggressively, indicating that a Twenty20 hangover might be apparent. Opener Gambhir didn’t last long before he was bowled by Mitchell Johnson who continued his handy form for Australia after dismissing Sachin Tendulkar just before the first ODI was called off.

Tendulkar and Uthappa then turned up the heat, particularly targeting Lee with 18 runs in one over including the first ever free hit in an ODI. To his credit, Lee kept his calm and produced a fine yorker to nullify the effect of the new rule.

Adam Gilchrist made a swift change in the attack, calling upon the ever reliable Stuart Clark and it produced immediate results with the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar in his first over for 16, when the master batsman hit it straight to a waiting Symonds at short cover.

Yuvraj Singh didn’t last long, a breezy six indicated he would take the game away from Australia in a similar style to the Twenty20 semi-final but it was not to be when Hopes had him caught at short cover for just 10.

Uthappa was out shortly afterwards despite looking threatening in a major wicket for the Australians when Clark struck again to have him caught LBW from a fuller delivery. Uthappa played a speedy innings of 41 off 30 balls but needed to go on for a big one if India were to stand any chance, his country reeling at this stage at 4-87.

Dravid looked in great touch for his 31 and would have gone on if not for a brilliant catch in the outfield from Johnson who caught a lofted shot right on the line. He maintained perfect balance to ensure he didn’t fall over the ropes to take a most memorable catch off the bowling of an elated Brad Hogg.

India went from bad to worse when Pathan was run out for just one and the tailenders provided little support for Dhoni who went on to get his 50 with the match already well and truly over, Australia winning by 84 runs.

Australia now lead the series 1-0 with their biggest problem – who to drop for Ricky Ponting? India would wish they had such a problem with their Twenty20 honeymoon coming to an abrupt end.

Australia 6-306
Brad Haddin 87, Andrew Symonds 87, Matthew Hayden 75
Sreesanth 3-67, Irfan Pathan 2-47

India 222
MS Dhoni 58, Robin Uthappa 41
Brad Hogg 3-40, Stuart Clark 2-14

Australia won by 84 runs
Cricket Web Man of the Match: Brad Haddin