Team India fail mettle-detector test

To put it in the right perspective, his team cut the opposition down to size, one that had gotten under Australia’s skin.

Nagpur, once again, provided the platform. It was here that Australia had recorded the huge Test victory in 2004 — one that is more famous for Sourav Ganguly’s last minute reluctance to be a part of the playing eleven — to win the series. It is here once again, riding on Andrew Symonds’ heroic effort — 107 off 88 balls — that Australia have stamped their authority in the one-day version too.

Australia won the toss and elected to bat first, exactly the way teams have done in the last few matches played at this venue. The beginning, though, wasn’t how they would have liked. Michael Clarke, opening in place of the injured Mathew Hayden, fell for a duck, and an early dent in the strong line-up gave India the breakthrough they were looking for.

With Australia 2-1, Mahendra Singh Dhoni could’ve prospered further — the ball shining, powerplay on, his bowlers fresh and Adam Gilchrist looking to go the aerial route. The Aussie left-hander gave an opportunity too, in the fourth over of the innings, when he slashed one to the gully off Sreesanth’s bowling. Rahul Dravid dropped it, and with it went down a chunk of India’s hope of a comeback in the series.

Gilchrist and Ponting hung on to add 96 runs for the second wicket, providing the ideal platform for a batsman like Symonds waiting in the wings. A brutal assault in the middle-overs, nine boundaries and four sixes, his murderous form against India’s best bets in the attack, ensured that Australians got away once again.

Harbhajan Singh conceded seven runs per over. Sreesanth was sent to the cleaners, an eventual 64 off 8 overs, Yuvraj Singh 15 off just six balls — the shots were played across the park, over the mid-wicket, extra-cover, straight over the bowler. And by the time Symonds’ hundred came, Australia had crossed the 300-run mark.

“I am very pleased,” is how Ponting explained Symonds’ effort, one that remained the sole difference between the two sides. The sledgehammer that he proved to be, Symonds got a life too, dropped by Sreesanth when he was on two, a slip that will prove more mind-numbing for the Kerala youngster than the aggression issue he keeps talking about.

For India to stay in the match, the top-order had to get going. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly gave the team a start that reminded of the times when they had dominated bowlers the world over. With a 140-run opening partnership — highest in the series so far — both the batsmen reached their half centuries with sixes, Tendulkar hitting over the mid-wicket and Sourav Ganguly over long-off.

However, their dismissals added to the pressure, Ponting using his bowlers and their mouths with equal ease to bump off their opponents. India had to pass through this mettle-detector test to stay alive in the series. It beeped with a lack of confidence and Australia were home leaving India high and dry.

Australia

A Gilchrist c Uthappa b Pathan 51

M Clarke c Dhoni b Zaheer 0

R Ponting c Dravid b Harbhajan 49

B Hodge c Dravid b Kartik 20

A Symonds not out 107

B Haddin c T’dulkar b Sreesanth 25

J Hopes c Dravid b Zaheer 39

B Lee run out 17

M Johnson run out 1

Extras: (lb3, nb1, w4) 8

Total (for 8 wkts in 50 overs) 317

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-98, 3-102, 4-129, 5-204, 6-294, 7-315, 8-317

Bowling: Zaheer Khan 10-0-62-2, S Sreesanth 8-0-64-1, Irfan Pathan 9-0-60-1, Harbhajan Singh 8-0-56-1, Murali Kartik 9-1-37-1, Yuvraj Singh 1-0-15-0, Sachin Tendulkar 5-0-20-0.

India

S Ganguly c Hodge b Hogg 86

S Tendulkar st Gilchrist b Hopes 72

I Pathan c Clarke b Hogg 29

R Dravid c Hodge b Hogg 7

Y Singh lbw b Hogg 6

M Dhoni c Ponting b Johnson 26

R Uthappa c Hodge b Johnson 44

H Singh not out 6

Z Khan not out 3

Extras (b-4, lb-8, nb-1, wd-7) 20

Total (for 7 wkts in 50 overs) 299

Fall of wickets: 1-140, 2-189, 3-203, 4-213, 5-218, 6-218, 7-290

Bowling: B Lee 7-0-50-0, M Johnson 9-1-39-2, N Bracken 8-0-54-0, J Hopes 4-0-30-1, A Symonds 10-0-39-0, B Hogg 10-0-49-4, M Clarke 2-0-26-0.

AUSTRALIA LEAD SERIES 4-1

NEXT MATCH: MUMBAI, OCT 17