Bollinger claims fifer as India bowled out for 170
Guwahati | Sunday, Nov 8 2009 IST
 

Pacer Doug Bollinger wreaked havoc with a five-wicket haul as Australia bundled out India for a paltry 170 in the sixth one-day international here at the Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium today.

Bollinger returned with magnificent figures of five for 35 in his 10 overs, while Mitchell Johnson created the early inroads in the Indian top-order as the hosts were bowled out with twop overs to spare.

For India, it was late contributions from Ravindra Jadeja (57) and an unbeaten half-century from Praveen Kumar (51 not out) that allowed the home team to give their bowlers something to bowl at.

Jadeja and Kumar put on a 74-run stand for the eighth wicket at a rapid pace in the later stages of the match as the top-order failed to justify captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's decidion to bat first.

Had the catches of Dhoni and Jadeja were not dropped, India were in a mood to beat even their lowest total of 54 against Sri Lanka in 2001.

It was only Jadeja who stood tall amidst the ruins and after the harakiri of Hyderabad which cost India the match, he was determined not to give away his wicket. It was he who first added 51 runs with Dhoni(24) and then along with Kumar took the home team's score close to 150 runs.

It was once again Bollinger who sent back Jadeja with the first of his third spell.

Jadeja went for pull and gave a simple catch to White at mid-on but it was an innings of grit as wickets fell all around him.

Towards the end, Kumar swung his bat around and got the home team to 170 runs.

With India still dependent on an ageing Sachin Tendulkar, Team India was never seen so weak as the middle order once again failed and exposed its weakness before a depleted Australian attack.

With morning dew doing the trick on a lively wicket, India was all at sea and only stroke with some authority was the first scoring shot, a six over point by Shewag. The momentous first over from Mithcel Johnson on a helping pitch saw India on the back foot from the word go leaving an unanswered question why Dhoni chose to bat first.

After being hit for mighty six over the point by Shewag (6), Johnson cleaned up Sehwag with a beautiful in swinger. Two balls later it was Gautam Gambhir's turn to see his off stump uprooted. Expecting an in-swinger, Gambhir tried to flick the ball but the delivery went straight and cleaned up his stumps.

There was more drama to follow even as the spectators hoped for another magic innings from Tendulkar (10) but Bollinger joined the party and removed the little master.

Bollinger held back a delivery to Tendulkar who gave a simple return catch to the bowler.

Johnson-Bollinger threatened to blast India out of for its lowest ever total when in the next couple of overs, Yuvraj Singh (6) and Suresh Raina (0) were back in the hut.

Dhoni tried to stem the rot and was there at the crease for 77 balls for a painstaking 24. He was declared out leg before although, the replays showed that the Indian skipper was unlucky to be adjudged out.

Two balls later Harbhajan was cleaned up sending in Kumar for another heroic innings of the series to save the faces for the home team.

-- (UNI) -- 08SPD11.xml

 

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