Aussies tumble to Sachin8217;s jumble

There were runs in plenty on the hard wicket at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The bowlers had to really sweat it out and for most it was a back-breaking affair. The much improved Michael Kasprowicz used the initial freshness to make early indentations when India decided to bat first. Javagal Srinath and Debashish Mohanty were carted around in gay abandon by the Australian openers Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist.

Runs flowed, the Aussies raced to 50 in just 5.5 overs and the target of 310in 49 overs the Aussies were penalised as they out shot the bowling time looked to be well within grasp. Gilchrist reached his 50 in just 37 balls and Australia 100 in 11.1 overs.

Srinath managed to dislodge Waugh, who fell to a tumbling catch by Ajit Agarkar at square-leg and in the next over Agarkar claimed his first international wicket when he had Gilchrist caught at widish gully by Azharuddin for a rapid 61.

Hrishikesh Kanitkar obliged his skipper by dismissing Ricky Ponting, when he along with Micheal Bevan were gradually getting into rhythm.

The followed the phase when Bevan and Steve Waugh tortured the Indian attack with methodical batsmanship. There were no flourishes as the bowlers never gave them the room to open their shoulders. Australia creept to 200 in the 31st over and the fourth-wicket stand was now worth 60 runs that took them 11.3 overs. It was then that Tendulkar struck.

He halted the revival in its tracks by first scalping Steve Waugh, who, driving a bit early, slapped back atame return catch and then had Darren Lehmann trapped leg before.

Bevan, the canny run-getter, got to his patient half-century that took him 96 minutes and 62 balls with just one four. Aussies were in the game as long as this man was out there and with 10 overs to go the required 75 runs did not appear improbable.

But his fall, plotted by a brilliant work by Mongia and Tendulkar, pushed the visitors to the wall. Bevan moved out a bit too early as Tendulkar pushed the ball faster and wider down the leg-side. Mongia brought off a quicksilver stumping.

Tendulkar, who had made the incisions, then thrust the knife home. He drew Moody out and Mongia had plenty of time to whip the bails off when the batsman missed a huge heave.

Kumble packed off Warne and when Tendulkar got Damein Martyn, his fifth victim, in his final over, the writing was on the wall for the Aussies.

Tendulkar finished with figures of five for 32, his best in ODI8217;s. This effort earned him the Man of the Match Award, the other contenderfor the honour being Ajay Jadeja, who had carried the Indian innings on his shoulders.

It was Jadeja8217;s well phased century 105 and his 104-run partnership with Mohammed Azharuddin that led India to a big score. This was after Vinod Kambli had played a short, sweet knock.

The quick dismissal of Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sachin Tendulkar was stunning. Cut off from their prime source of runs India required a fluent knock of 82 from skipper Azharuddin and the ebullience of Jadeja, who held the innings together, pulling their side from 80 for three to 184.

Dominating the morning session, like these two batsmen, was Michael Kasprowicz Exhausted by the humidity and suffering from cramps, this quot;bigquot; bowler could not bowl out his quota which must have hit the inexperienced Aussie bowling.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INDIA-AUSTRALIA MATCH

New high for Azhar

Compiled by S. Pervez Qaiser