Symonds fashions Aussies series win against India

Oct 15: Australia clinches the seven match series leading 4-1 asserting their supremacy in the 50-50 version of the game

Annoyed by the behaviour of Indian cricketers and the fans in Vadodra, Andrew Symonds came out with a blazing knock of unbeaten 107 of just 88 balls fashioning Australia’s 18-run win over India in the sixth One-day international played at the Vidarbha Cricket association ground in Nagpur on Sunday.

The victory helped Australia to clinch the seven-match series 4-1, with one more match to go in Mumbai on Wednesday. The series opener was abandoned due to rain. The 32-year-old Symonds propped up Australia to a magnificent 317-8 before left-arm spinner Brad Hogg picked up 4-49 to restrict India to 299-7.

The Indian openers Sourav Ganguly (86), Sachin Tendulkar (72) hard efforts went in vain before Robin Uthappa (44) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (26) valiant attempt in the middle of the innings ultimately ran out of steam.

56 runs were needed off the last five overs, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (26) and Uthappa came out with a flurry of shots but Mitchell Johnson (2-39) dismissed them in the 49th over to put an end to the Indian challenge.

"A total of around 300 was a par score in these conditions. I have always maintained that spinners need to do well in such conditions and they did that today," Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said after the match.

"One-day cricket is all about applying and committing yourself for 100 overs. You can't take your foot off the accelerator at any point. I am glad we were able to play good cricket throughout."

Indians started off well with the way Sourav and Sachin timed their innings well to their 26th century stand and the best start in the series for either side. Ricky Ponting was clueless during their 151-ball partnership until Sachin fell to a smart piece of work by Adam Gilchrist behind the stumps. The run-a-ball 72 had nine fours and a six.

Sourav’s 86 (111 balls, 7x4, 2x6) was a typical demonstration of his class. Irfan Pathan (29) was promoted up the order as pinch hitter too joined in the run fest, hitting a four and a six off Nathan Bracken's over before lofting Symonds over the park..

Pathan's dismissal in the 33rd over by Hogg set off the collapse with Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh (six) and Rahul Dravid (seven) got out in quick succession.

"Hogg turned out to be a crucial bowler for the Aussies. It is very difficult to get runs against him under pressure. His googly (wrong-un) is especially causing a lot of trouble," Dhoni said.

Earlier, Andrew Symonds’s rollicking yet dependable 88-ball unbeaten 107 (9x4, 4x6) propelled Australia from a worrying 129 for four to a match-winning 317 for eight after Ricky Ponting elected to bat.

S Sreesanth dropped Symonds on the score of two. Symonds capitalised on the chance and rallied the middle order with two half-century stands.

He put on 75 runs for the fifth wicket with Brad Haddin (25) and added another 90 runs for the sixth with Hopes (39) off just 58 balls. He reached his sixth one-day century with a four and jumped in the air while pumping his fist towards Australian dressing room.

The absence of Matthew Hayden (hip injury) and the early departure of Michael Clarke made no difference as Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting added 96 in 85 balls for the second wicket. Gilchrist, 51 and Ponting (49) also made valuable contributions for the team.

The sloppy fielding and bowling in the death overs costed the Indian team match, as Indians dropped three catches and allowed the visitors to slam 102 runs in the last 10 overs.

Murali Kartik was the most economical bowler, as he conceded only 37 runs in nine overs with one wicket, while Sreesanth had a bad outing, giving away 64 runs off his eight overs with just one wicket.