India scored 128 for three in 30 overs while chasing Australia’s 229 for five in 50 overs in the third One Day International of the Hero Honda Cup series at the Ferozshah Kotla Stadium here on Saturday night. Skipper M.S. Dhoni (34 n.o.) and Yuvraj Singh (24) were at the crease with another 102 runs required for a victory.
After Tendulkar (32) struck two fours off Mitchell Johnson’s first over, India seemed set on the right course. However Virender Sehwag (11) fell to the left-arm seamer, failing to counter one that homed in on to the stumps. Later Tendulkar, who was in good touch, patted Moises Henriques towards mid-off and ran for a single that was cut short by Johnson’s throw.
The chase was in trouble when off-spinner Nathan Hauritz spun one past Gautam Gambhir’s bat to rattle the stumps but Dhoni and Yuvraj stabilised the innings.
Earlier Michael Hussey’s unbeaten 81 (82b, 3x4, 1x6) along with Ricky Ponting’s 59 helped Australia inch past the 200-mark
Hussey notched his third consecutive fifty of the series after Ponting won the toss and opted to bat. The Australian captain promoted himself as an opener following the absence of Tim Paine, who returned home after suffering a broken finger. Ponting struck Ashish Nehra for two fours while his partner Shane Watson (41) drove Praveen Kumar past the ropes as the duo shared a 72-run first-wicket partnership in 16.2 overs.
Watson was stumped while Yuvraj Singh drew him forward but Ponting progressed well, cutting Harbhajan for a single to reach his fifty. Ponting however fell to Ravindra Jadeja and Cameron White snicked Suresh Raina as the Indian spinners spun a tight web in the middle overs.
Later Harbhajan scalped Adam Voges (17) while Hussey battled ahead, carting a massive six off Nehra in the final over in a knock that had its first four off the 45th delivery he faced. Australia and India are level at 1-1 in the seven-match series.
The scores.
Australia : S. Watson st Dhoni b Yuvraj 41 (59b, 5x4), R. Ponting lbw b
Jadeja 59 (92b, 4x4), M. Hussey (not out) 81 (82b, 3x4, 1x6), C. White
c Dhoni b Raina 0 (7b), Adam Voges c Praveen b Harbhajan 17 (31b,
1x4), M. Henriques b Jadeja 12 (17b), M. Johnson (not out) 9 (12b,
1x6). Extras (b-4, lb-4, w-3): 10. Total (for five wickets in 50 overs): 229.
Fall of wickets: 1-72 (Watson), 2-128 (Ponting), 3-129 (White), 4-172 (Voges), 5-200 (Henriques).
Power Plays: One (Overs 1-10): 40/0; Bowling (11-15): 29/0; Batting (46 to 50): 36/1.
India bowling: Praveen 5-1-16-0, Nehra 9-0-51-0, Ishant 5-0-24-0,
Jadeja 9-1-41-2, Harbhajan 10-0-37-1, Yuvraj 8-0-30-1, Raina 4-0-23-1.
