David Warner and Glenn Maxwell smashed centuries to help Australia post 371 against a hapless Indian bowling attack in the first warm—up match of the cricket World Cup.
Electing to bat at the Adelaide Oval in a match where the two teams are playing their full 15—member squads, the hosts rode on Warner’s 104 and Maxwell’s 57—ball 122, before he was retired out, to put up a challenging score as they lost all their 10 wickets in 48.2 overs.
Warner smashed 14 fours and two sixes in his 84—ball stay.
Opening the Indian bowling, medium—pacer Stuart Binny (1—41) gave them the first breakthrough in Aaron Finch (20) but Warner was unstoppable at the other end.
Injured Ishant Sharma’s replacement in the World Cup squad, Mohit Sharma (2—62) got Shane Watson (22) back in the pavilion and Steven Smith (1) was cleaned up by Umesh Yadav to stop the Australian surge.
Warner though still carried on in the same vein only to picked up left—arm spinner Axar Patel (1—47) in the 27th over and Australia were already 185 for four.
Maxwell then took over and stitched a 91—run sixth—wicket stand with Mitchell Marsh (21).
In between captain George Bailey also hit a useful 44 before being scalped by Mohammed Shami (3—83), who bagged three wickets but was expensive in his 9.2 overs.
Maxwell hit 11 fours and eight sixes with a strike rate of 214.03.
Umesh proved to be India’s most economical bowler with figures of 2—52 in his nine overs.
