Sunday, November 8, 2009

Aussies clinched series

 

Bollinger celebrates on Sunday.

Doug Bollinger claimed a five-wicket haul and Shane Watson chipped in with a breezy innings as Australia defeated India by six wickets in the sixth one-day international in Guwahati to take an unbeatable 4-2 lead in the seven-match series.

Bollinger (five for 25) and Mitchell Johnson (three for 39) left India at 27 for five  but the home side recovered through half-centuries from Ravindra Jadeja (57) and Praveen Kumar (54 not out) to reach 170 all out.

The target hardly troubled Australia as Watson smashed a run-a-ball 49 and Michael Hussey made a steady unbeaten 35 as they overhauled the target with 8.1 overs to spare.

It marks India's first defeat in a bilateral series since their 4-2 loss to Australia in 2007-08.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and decided to bat first.

Johnson bowled opening batsman Virender Sehwag and removed one-drop batsman Gautam Gambhir with the last ball of his first over.

Bollinger began with a maiden from the other end and he then got in on the act, claiming the prized wicket of Sachin Tendulkar by holding a sharp return catch.

 

Bollinger rapped Yuvraj on the pad, but the ball looped up over the batsman's right shoulder and Yuvraj knocked it back onto his stumps while attempting to regain the crease.

Johnson then took the wicket of  Suresh Raina, as the batsman chipped straight to Nathan Hauritz at short mid-on, as India lost their top five batsmen inside the first nine overs.

Dhoni (24) and Jadeja revived the innings with a tedious 48-run stand for the sixth wicket, but Bollinger returned and took the wicket of Dhoni, winning a doubtful lbw decision.

India faltered again as Harbhajan Singh fell in the same over, but Praveen joined Jadeja and the two held India together with a 74-run stand for the eight wicket.

Bollinge claimed Jadeja for his fifth victim in the final over of the batting powerplay.

Praveen, who had hit Clint McKay for a six and a four in an over that yielded 14, eased India past the 150 mark and continued to bat with aggression as he reached his maiden half-century in just 48 deliveries.

Australia too suffered an early trouble, losing Shaun Marsh early, but Watson who had begun in a blaze of boundaries, then put Australia on course with a 61-run stand for the second wicket with Ricky Ponting (25).

Harbhajan,  provided another twist by taking wickets of Watson and Ponting in quick succession, but Hussey and Cameron White (25) rebuilt the innings with a 53-run stand for the fourth wicket.

White was trapped in front by Raina, but Australia needed only 28 at that stage and Hussey and Voges (23 not out) easily secured victory.

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