Australia clinch a thriller: Sachin's ton goes in vain

Sachin Tendulkar's magnificent 175 runs went in vain as Australia edged out India by 3 runs in the fifth one-dayer to take a 3-2 lead in the seven-match series at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here today. Chasing a mammoth 351 runs, India fell at the last hurdle and bowled out for 347 in 49.4 overs, despite a mesmerising knock from man-of-the-match Tendulkar that included 19 boundaries and 4 sixes.

Sachin showed his class again as the 39000-capacity crowd enjoyed a rare feast of strokeplay from the batting genius. A tired Sachin tried to paddle-scoop the ball over the short fine leg but ballooned a simple catch to Hauritz off McKay. Sachin took special liking to Hauritz as he struck two successive sixes off the spinner straight onto the sight screen. He exhibited his full range of strokes but his dismissal at a crucial phase of the match enabled Aussies to get a toe hold and the visitors fully capitalised on it.

India needed 19 runs off 17 balls when Sachin departed. Ravindra Jadeja got himself run out in a needless fashion and Ashish Nehra holed out a simple catch. An entire stadium watched in absolute disbelief as Praveen Kumar was the last man out while attempting a second run with 4 runs needed off the last two balls.

Sachin, playing in his 435th ODI, crossed 17000 runs mark, another milestone in his illustrious career, when he flicked a Hilfenhaus delivery towards square leg in the fifth over of the Indian innings. The entire stadium gave a standing ovation to their most lovable batsman. Sachin reached his 45th ODI hundred when he glided a Watson delivery to thirdman for a single. It was Sachin's 9th hundred against Australia.

Suresh Raina and Sachin entertained the full house with some blistering stroke play. The duo added 137 runs for the fifth wicket in 114 deliveries. Raina reached his 50 in style by lofting a huge six in to the midwicket stands. Raina (37, ) top edged a Watson's short delivery while attempting a pull and wicketkeeper Manou ran back to gobble a difficult catch. Sehwag was the first to depart when he top edged a Hilefenhaus bouncer to fine leg. Bollinger who dropped Sehwag earlier ran back and took a neat catch. Sehwag struck five fours and a six in his 30-ball stint at the wicket. India lost its first wicket in the 9th over after a 66-run opening association.

Gautam Gambhir (8, 13b, 1x4)became debutant McKay's first scalp at the international level when he slashed a delivery straight to Hilfenhaus at thirdman. Gambhir put on 26 runs for the second wicket with Sachin. At 92 for 2, Yuvraj joined Sachin Tendulkar in the middle. The talented left-hander failed to read a slower on Shane Watson and offered a simple caught and bowled opportunity to him in the 19th over. He was involved in a 34-run partnership with Tendulkar for the third wicket. Yuvraj made 9 runs in 10 balls that includes a boundary.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni fell to a brilliant diving catch by Voges in the 24th over when he slashed hard at a short and wide delivery from McKay. Voges, at backward point, dived to his right in anticipation to pluck out a catch from thin air, may be millimeters off the ground. Earlier electing to bat and riding on a brilliant maiden hundred by Shaun Marsh and swashbuckling innings from Shane Watson and Cameron White, Australia amassed a massive 350 for the loss of four wickets.

The Australian top order - Marsh (112, 112b, 8x4, 2x6), Watson (93, 89b, 9x4, 3x6), Ponting (45, 45b, 3x4, 1x6), White (57, 32b, 2x4, 5x6) and Hussey (31 n.o, 22b, 1x4, 2x6), feasted on an hapless Indian bowling attack to post a daunting total. The visitors never took their feet off the accelerator throughout the innings. Shaun Marsh, son of former Australian opener Geoff Marsh, paced his innings very well. The 26-year-old from Western Australia scored his first hundred in his 18th ODI appearance. Marsh reached his hundred in the 41st over of the innings when he glided Jadeja to the point region and ran a couple. His 50 came off 63 balls and the century came off 104 balls. He used his feet well to tackle Harbhajan and Jadeja. Marsh danced down the track to hit Harbhajan over the bowler's head for a six that crashed into the sight screen.

Marsh perished while attempting to score another six of Nehra when he failed to clear the deep midwicket fielder. Gambhir took a good catch to see the back of Marsh but by the time the southpaw has laid a solid foundation for his team.

Watson and Marsh put on 145 runs for the first wicket. Watson, in particular was very severe on the Indian pace bowlers. The 28-year-old all rounder pulled Nehra twice over the midwicket for two big sixes and another straight six on to the sight screen off Munaf stood out in his brave innings. Watson took little time to settle in and played shots all over the park. He did not allow the Indian medium pace bowlers to find their rhythm. On the other hand, Shuan Marsh played second fiddle to his senior partner. While Australia's 50 came in 9.5 overs, the bowling powerplay in the 10-15 overs proved to be more productive for the visitors as Shane Watson started dictating terms. Australia crossed the 100 mark in 15.3 overs. The introduction of Ravindra Jadeja and Harbhajan Singh into the attack applied brakes on the galloping Kangaroos. The run flow became a trickle between the 20-29 overs as the Australian batsman scored only 39 runs that sans a boundary..

Harbhajan priced out Shane Watson who missed out on a well deserved hundred. Watson's 93 came off 89 deliveries consisting 8 fours and 3 sixes.Ravindra Jadeja held on to a skier that came off an miscued edge. Dhoni shuffled all his bowlers without much luck and the opening partnership was broken only in the 26th over of the Australian innings. The Indian ground fielding and catching was below par compared to their show at Mohali. Dhoni dropped Marsh off the bowling of Harbhajan when the batsman was on 29 and Australia on 100. Yuvraj failed to take a return catch offered by Watson with the batsman on 90 and his side's score reading 134. Marsh got another fresh lease of life on 52 when Sehwag floored a catch at short midwicket and the bowler to suffer was Yuvraj Singh.

Ricky Ponting and Shaun Marsh were involved in a 91-run partnership for the second wicket. Ponting's run-a-ball 45 ended when Praveen Kumar clean bowled him with a slower one. The Aussie skipper 's knock had three fours and a six over midwicket off Praveen Kumar. Australia lost the second wicket at 236 in 38.5 overs. White and Hussey added 80 runs for the fourth wicket in 43 balls.

The visitors piled on the agony of the hosts by plundering 105 runs in the last 10 overs of the Australian innings. White played a cameo by giving full throttle in the end. He struck Jadeja for consecutive sixes and gave special treatment to Munaf and Nehra too. The only consolation for India came at the end of the innings when Sachin dived to take a brilliant catch to end White's knock off the bowling of Praveen Kumar.

Harbhajan was the pick of the Indian bowlers. Nehra, Munaf and Praveen Kumar would certainly like to forget today's performance.

-- (UNI) -- 05SPD73.xml

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