Marsh hits maiden ODI century as Australia pile up 350/4

Shaun Marsh blasted his maiden ODI centuy while Shane Watson hit a cracking 93 as Australia piled up 350 for four in 50 overs against India in the fifth One-day international at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium at the Uppal here Thursday.

Marsh hit a run-a-ball 112 and with Watson put on a 145-run opening stand. Skipper Rciky Ponting made 45 and Cameron White scored a quickfire 57 off 33 balls, hitting five sixes.

On a placid track Indian bowlers had a tough time right from the start after Ponting decided to bat first. Opening bowlers Praveen Kumar and Ashish Nehra went for more than seven runs an over while comeback man Munaf Patel and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja had forgetful spells, conceding more than eight an over.

Harbhajan Singh was the only bowler, who gained some respectability from the Australians and picked up the wicket of Watson giving away 44 runs.

Watson set the tone for the innings, hitting three sixes and nine fours during his 89-ball stay. He holed out to Jadeja in the deep attempting a slog-sweep off Harbhajan.

But Marsh and Ponting kept the pressure and smashed the Indian bowlers for some easy boundaries. Marsh made the best of the two lives he got and hit eight fours and two sixes enroute to his century.

Nehra picked up Marsh while Kumar rattled Ponting's stumps.

But White and Hussey (31 not out) plundered 80 runs for the fourth wicket as 105 runs were scored in the last 10 overs.

abr/vs

( 268 Words)

2009-11-05-19:37:53 (IANS)

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