Australia beat India by 50 runs in tri-series match
February 18, 2008 00:00:00
ADELAIDE, FEB 17 (AP): Mitchell Johnson took 3-42 and Australia overcame a lackluster batting performance to beat India by 50 runs in a limited-overs tri-series match Sunday at the Adelaide Oval.
India was bowled out for 153 chasing Australia's 203-9.
The win, with a bonus point, moved Australia to 17 points in the tri-series standings ahead of India's eight. Sri Lanka, which has six points, plays India Tuesday in Adelaide.
None of the India batsmen passed 50, and all struggled to assert themselves on a slowing pitch against strong bowling by Johnson (3-42), Nathan Bracken (2-21) and James Hopes (2-16).
Fast bowler Brett Lee was given the night off but was hardly missed.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni top-scored for India with 37, but was among the casualties as the tourists lost their last five wickets for 19 runs.
Earlier, left-armer Irfan Pathan took four wickets and Ishant Sharma added two to put India into a strong winning position.
Slumping to 73-5 in the 24th over, Australia's only resistance came from Michael Clarke's 79 from a costly 108 balls.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who won the toss and elected to bat first, continued his slump at the crease, out for 10 when he tried to force Patel off the back foot and sliced a catch to backward point.
Two runs later Matthew Hayden feathered an attempt to cut Pathan and Andrew Symonds also continued his form slump by dabbing Sharma straight to gully, reducing the home side to 50-4, a start from which they never recovered.
Australia 203 for 9 (Clarke 79, Pathan 4-41) beat India 153 (Johnson 3-42) by 50 runs