India continue shock-treatment

India continue shock-treatment
Vedam Jaishankar

Bangalore, March 25: Suddenly these Australian cricketers do not seem quite the cocks of the walk. They might be heroes in their backyard or even their mother country, England. But on Indian soil they look as pathetic as fish out of water.

Today, at the KSCA Stadium, in the first of the Pepsi Series one-dayers, their bowlers were taken to the cleaners as India careered to a massive 315. Then under lights, only Mathew Hayden, and to a lesser extent Michael Bevan, came to terms with the attack as the visitors collapsed to yet another defeat on Indian soil. The crushing 60-run win gave India a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

For Australia, the gambit of retaining Mathew Hayden in the one-day squad proved to be a good one. The left handed opener, who was not part of the original one-day team, was asked to stay back after he alone among the visitors seemed to have come to terms with playing in India’s testing conditions. His massive 518 runs in three Tests stood him in marvellous stead as he batted aggressively and made a game bid to keep his side in the fight.

But all his pulverising strokes could not negate the magic touch of Delhi all rounder Virender Sehwag. The off-spinner - batsman struck when it mattered most to make a very good impression. His slam-bam method with the bat yielded 58 runs off just 54 deliveries. Later, with the ball, he picked up three crucial wickets to spell Australia’s doom.

Earlier, in the company of the dependable Rahul Dravid (80 off 84 balls, 3 fours, 1 six), Sehwag added 100 runs for the fifth wicket in just 16 overs to help put India in an impregnable position.

This afternoon, skipper Saurav Ganguly opted to take first strike, but his wretched form with the bat continued. However, Sachin Tendulkar (35; 26 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) seemed to be in scintillating touch before VVS Laxman made a poor call and ran him out. Laxman (45; 34 balls, 7 fours, 1 six) himself carried on with some exquisite shots before holing out off medium pacer Ian Harvey.Then came a critical period for India as on a featherbed of a pitch they seemed to have squandered it. But Dravid held the innings together like a rock while Sehwag first and later Vijay Dahiya (51; 39 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) stepped on the gas. The capacity crowd was sent into raptures as the home team coasted past the 300-mark.

None of the Aussie bowlers, not even the dreaded Glenn McGrath could contain the batsmen. This was indication for the Indian bowlers that they had a long toil ahead in the evening.

Beginning their chase, Australia lost Mark Waugh and the out-of-form Ricky Ponting early. But Hayden, at his murderous best, and an unruffled Bevan batted superbly to carry the fight into the Indian camp. Hayden was harsh on Harbhajan Singh and Ajit Agarkar while Bevan kept the scoreboard ticking over by squeezing the ball around the ground.

Their 110-run stand in just 17 overs kept the Aussies in the match. But after Bevan was superbly caught by substitute Robin Singh, and Hayden was trapped in front by Sehwag for 99 (89 balls, 7 fours 1 six) it was all over bar the shouting.Javagal Srinath and man-of-the-match Sehwag came away with three wickets apiece while Zaheer scalped 2 wickets.

Scoreboard

India: Saurav Ganguly c M Waugh b Fleming 6, Sachin Tendulkar run out 35, VVS Laxman c Martyn b Harvey 45, Rahul Dravid c Harvey b Martyn 80, Hemang Badani c M Waugh b Warne 11, Virendra Sehwag b Fleming 58, Vijay Dahiya run out 51, Ajit Agarkar c and b Mcgrath 13, Harbhajan Singh c Ponting b Harvey 0, Zaheer Khan not out 1 Javagal Srinath c Martyn b Mcgrath 2. Extras (nb-6, w-7) 13. Total (all out in 50 overs) 315.
Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-52, 3-102, 4-122, 5-222, 6-283, 7-306, 8-311, 9-312.

Bowling: Mcgrath 9.5-0-60-2, Fleming 10-0-62-2, Harvey 10-0-68-2, Warne 10-0-58-1, M Waugh 6-0-42-0, Martyn 4-0-25-1.

Australia: Matthew Hayden lbw b V Sehwag 99, Mark Waugh b Srinath 5, Ricky Ponting c Dravid b Zaheer 9, Michael Bevan c sub (R Singh) b Ganguly 49, Steve Waugh lbw b Sehwag 18, Damien Martyn c Dahiya b Sehwag 1, Adams Gilchrist b Zaheer 27, Ian Harvey c Ganguly b Agarkar 17, Shane Warne b Srinath 13, Glen McGrath lbw b Srinath 0, Damien Fleming not out 0, Extras (lb-3, nb-6, w-8) 17, Total (all out in 43.3 overs) 255.
Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-44, 3-154, 4-174, 5-179, 6-207, 7-230, 8-252, 9-254.

Bowling: Srinath 7.3-0-49-3, Zaheer Khan 8-0-34-2, Agarkar 8-0-54-1, Sehwag 9-0-59-3, Ganguly 3-0-15-1, Harbhajan Singh 8-0-41-0.