| Cricket: Aussies win one day series against India |
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| Friday, 12 October 2007 | |
 Australia has ripped apart India in the fifth One Dayer in Vadodara to win by nine wickets and claim the best-of-seven match series 3-1.
If Mitchell Johnson was knocking on the door of Test selection before hand, he all but ripped it off the hinges in Vadodara. Having grown up in tropical north Queensland, Johnson thrived in the oppressive conditions and collected a career-best 5-26 to put himself in line to make his Test debut on his home ground next month. His combination of swing and pace proved lethal on a tough deck to bat on as he set up Australia's nine-wicket victory and an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the seven-match series. Johnson and Brett Lee (2-42) earlier made India capitulate for 148 with Adam Gilchrist putting on a superb display behind the stumps with six catches including two spectacular takes. In reply, the Australians swept aside the Twenty20 world champion's total with Gilchrist (79no) regaining his touch with a typically brutal innings to go with his deeds with the wicketkeeping gloves on. But Australia picked up a fitness concern with Matthew Hayden (29) injuring his hip while lunging to sweep a ball and he needed a runner to complete his innings. Ricky Ponting (39no) was the other unbeaten batsman as Australia became the first team batting second to win in this series.
The retirement of Glenn McGrath, who took Johnson under his wing at this year's World Cup, has opened a Test spot for the Australian team's new pin-up. He must surely be putting some distance between himself and his chief rival Shaun Tait to play in the Gabba Test against play Sri Lanka starting November 8 through his performances in this current one-day series. And the fact that India tour Australia this summer for a four-Test series and tri-series must only strengthen his case. "It was a great day, a great bowling performance by the group as a whole," Johnson said. "To get my first one-day five for in these conditions is very special, it was hot and the boys worked really hard. Binga (Lee) was brilliant to bowl with in tandem." He gutted the Indian middle order, claiming the wickets of key batsmen Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Dhoni, Robin Uthappa as well as allrounder Irfan Pathan and tailender Murali Kartik. But he was well supported by Lee who continued to impress in his return from ankle surgery at the picturesque ground. Lee removed the out of sorts Rahul Dravid for a golden duck and then stopped India's mini-revival by dismissing Sachin Tendulkar (47) as the Australia's pace pairing ruined the little master's 400th one-day international. In the Australian innings, the Indians opened with off-spinner Harbhajan Singh in an attempt to inflict some early damage. He caused pain for the Australians in an unexpected manner with Hayden injuring his hip lunging forward to sweep the tweaker. The big man winced in pain and needed treatment from the team physiotherapist before James Hopes came on as his runner. His stay ended on 29 when he had his middle stump uprooted after walking down the pitch to R.P. Singh and his departure sparked Gilchrist. The left-hander hit Murali Kartik for three sixes in the next over as he regained form following his lean trot in this series. The Australians steadily gathered the runs needed with the match stopped for a few minutes because frustrated fans were throwing rubbish onto the field. However the delay couldn't stop Australia's comfortable march to victory. SCOREBOARD India Innings Mins Balls 4s 6s Total 148 Fall: 5 (Ganguly), 5 (Dravid), 12 (Singh), 33 (Uthappa), 43 (Dhoni), 92 (Tendulkar), 105 (Singh), 106 (Pathan), 107 (Kartik), 148 (Khan). Bowling: B Lee 9-0-42-2 (4w 1nb), M Johnson 10-0-26-5 (3w), B Hogg 9-1-28-1, J Hopes 3-0-13-0, N Bracken 8.4-0-29-1 (2w). AAP |
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