Watson, Marsh take Australia to 350
Friday, 6 November 2009
The fire and ice combination of Shane Watson and Shaun Marsh took Australia to a huge total on a true and flat Hyderabad pitch. Watson provided the early impetus, converting a conservative start into a boundary-fest towards the end of the first Powerplay. Marsh assumed the anchorman role, and batted almost through the innings. Fifty-four of Watson's 93 runs came in fours and sixes, Marsh ran 68 of his 112. India contributed to their own woes by dropping four catches and generally being their usual casual self in the field.
Australia have not followed the Virender Sehwag model of opening the innings in this series, and 24 for 0 from six overs seemed an extension of their three earlier starts: 28 for 1 in six in Vadodara, 40 for 0 in 10 in Delhi, and 37 for 1 in 10 in Mohali. Watson was 10 off 17 ball then, and Marsh 12 off 19. Watson then got two gifts from Praveen Kumar in the seventh: a leg-stump half-volley was flicked ferociously for four, and a short and wide delivery cut to point boundary. Three sixes and five fours in the next five overs later, Praveen, Ashish Nehra and Munaf Patel (in for Ishant Sharma) were left smarting, and the score had rocketed to 80 for 0.
For Australia's innings, as a whole, to be as smartly paced, one late cameo was required, and Cameron White and Michael Hussey provided that with brutal hitting in the final few overs. The last seven went for 79, the sixes tally went to 13, and the total to 350, more than India have ever chased successfully.
Australia innings:
SR Watson c Jadeja b Harbhajan Singh 93
SE Marsh c Gambhir b Nehra 112
RT Ponting b Kumar 45
CL White c Tendulkar b Kumar 57
MEK Hussey not out 31
Extras: (lb 6, w 5, nb 1) 12
Total: (4 wickets; 50 overs) 350
Indian innings:
161/3 after 23 overs (BST 10.00pm)
Australia have not followed the Virender Sehwag model of opening the innings in this series, and 24 for 0 from six overs seemed an extension of their three earlier starts: 28 for 1 in six in Vadodara, 40 for 0 in 10 in Delhi, and 37 for 1 in 10 in Mohali. Watson was 10 off 17 ball then, and Marsh 12 off 19. Watson then got two gifts from Praveen Kumar in the seventh: a leg-stump half-volley was flicked ferociously for four, and a short and wide delivery cut to point boundary. Three sixes and five fours in the next five overs later, Praveen, Ashish Nehra and Munaf Patel (in for Ishant Sharma) were left smarting, and the score had rocketed to 80 for 0.
For Australia's innings, as a whole, to be as smartly paced, one late cameo was required, and Cameron White and Michael Hussey provided that with brutal hitting in the final few overs. The last seven went for 79, the sixes tally went to 13, and the total to 350, more than India have ever chased successfully.
Australia innings:
SR Watson c Jadeja b Harbhajan Singh 93
SE Marsh c Gambhir b Nehra 112
RT Ponting b Kumar 45
CL White c Tendulkar b Kumar 57
MEK Hussey not out 31
Extras: (lb 6, w 5, nb 1) 12
Total: (4 wickets; 50 overs) 350
Indian innings:
161/3 after 23 overs (BST 10.00pm)