India triumph, D(h)o(w)ning the Aussies

While India made no changes to their playing eleven, Australia made a couple of changes to the eleven that last played the Indians – James Hopes and Ashley Noffke made way for Matthew Hayden and Stuart Clark.

On winning the toss, Ricky Ponting, Australia’s skipper, chose to bat. Adam Gilchrist, who faced three balls, didn’t get off the mark. (Sreesan)Three balls into the match, he was trapped leg before wicket by the Kerala pacer, who broke the one-run stand.

Hayden, whose 21-ball innings included five boundaries, scored 25. Twenty-nine balls later, he was caught by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s skipper. Ishant, the player of the (Shar)match, broke the 36-run stand. Ponting, who faced 15 balls, scored nine. A dozen balls later, he was caught by Sachin Tendulkar. Ishant broke the 10-run stand.

Australia scored 50 off 8.1 overs (55 balls). India had conceded eight extras at that point. The second Powerplay of their innings was between the 11^th and the 15^th over. Clarke, whose 27-ball innings included a boundary, scored (Micha)eleven. Thirty-three balls later, he was caught by Rohit Sharma. Irfan Pathan broke the 17-run stand.

The third Powerplay of their innings was between the 16^th and the 20^th over. Andrew Symonds, whose 24-ball innings included a boundary, scored 14. Thirty balls later, he was caught by Dhoni. Ishant broke the 11-run stand.

Brad Haddin, who faced 31 balls, scored just five. Forty-five balls later, he was stumped by Dhoni. Harbhajan Singh broke the 17-run stand. Australia scored 100 off 28.5 overs (182 balls). India had conceded a dozen extras at that point.

Thirty-two overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. Australia had scored 112 for the loss of half-a-dozen wicket at that point. While Michael Hussey was batting on 30, Brett Lee had scored half-a-dozen.

Hussey’s half-century – which included three boundaries – came off 68 balls. The seventh-wicket pair put on 50 off 76 balls. While Hussey’s contribution to the partnership was 37, Lee’s contribution to it was nine. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was four.

Lee, who faced 35 balls, eventually scored 10. Seventy-eight balls later, he was caught by Dhoni. Pathan broke the 53-run partnership. Australia scored 150 off 39.3 overs (248 balls). India had conceded 16 extras at that point.

Mitchell Johnson, who faced eight balls, scored three. Fourteen balls later, he was caught by Robin Uthappa. Sreesanth broke the six-run stand. Nathan Bracken, who faced nine balls, scored just a run. Thirteen balls later, he was caught by Tendulkar. Sressanth broke the four-run stand.

Clark, who faced a ball, D(hon)idn’t get off the mark. A couple of balls later, he was caught behind. Ishant broke the four-run stand. Hussey, who batted at number six, remained unbeaten on 65. His 88-ball innings included four boundaries. India eventually conceded 16 extras. Australia were dismissed for 159 off 43.1 overs.

Yuvraj Singh and Tendulkar bowled a couple of wicketless overs apiece. While the former conceded 11, the latter conceded half-a-dozen. Virender Sehwag, who bowled five wicketless overs, conceded 24.

Harbhajan bowled eight overs, including a couple of maidens. He conceded 19. He picked up a wicket. Pathan, who bowled eight overs, conceded 26. He picked up a couple of wickets. Sreesanth, who bowled nine overs, conceded 31. He picked up three wickets. Ishant bowled 9.1 overs, included a maiden. He conceded 38, picking up four scalps.

Sehwag, whose 19-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 11. Four overs into the chase, he was trapped leg before wicket by Bracken, who broke the 18-run stand. India scored 50 off nine overs (55 balls). Australia had conceded one extra at that point.

The second Powerplay of India’s innings was between the 11^th and the 15^th over. Pathan, whose 30-ball innings included a boundary, scored 18. Forty-four balls later, he was trapped leg before wicket by Johnson, who broke the 36-run stand.

Fifteen overs into the match, the second drinks break was taken. India had scored 65 for the loss of a couple of wickets. While Tendulkar was batting on 31, Gautam Gambhir was batting on four.

Gambhir, whose 43-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, eventually scored 21. Sixty-four balls later, he was caught by Clarke. Lee broke the 35-run stand. Tendulkar, whose 54-ball innings included three boundaries, eventually scored 44. Twenty-two balls later, he was caught by Lee. Needless to say, Johnson was in seventh heaven.

India scored 100 off 27.2 overs (165 balls). Australia had conceded a couple of extras at that point. Yuvraj, who faced 14 balls, scored three. Seventeen balls later, he was caught by Hussey. Clark had a reason to be in seventh heaven.

India scored 150 off 43.4 overs (266 balls). Australia had conceded half-a-dozen extras at that point. The sixth-wicket pair put on 50 off (Dho)ninety-six balls. While Rohit’s contribution to the partnership was 33, the contribution of the man from Ranchi to it was 15. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was five.

Rohit, whose 61-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, eventually scored 39. He was unbeaten, as was Dhoni, who faced 54 balls, eventually scoring 17.

The number of extras Australia eventually conceded gave them no reason to be in seventh heaven. India scored 160 for the loss of five wickets off 45.5 overs, of which the last five balls constituted the third Powerplay of their innings. The Indians won by five wickets with 25 balls to spare.

Symonds, who bowled 2.5 overs, conceded 19. He was wicketless, as was Clarke, who bowled four overs, conceding a dozen. Lee, who bowled nine overs, conceded 42. He picked up a wicket.

Bracken and Clark (whose spell included a maiden) bowled 10 overs each, picking up a wicket apiece. While the former conceded 35, the latter conceded 26. Johnson bowled 10 overs, including a maiden. He conceded 24, picking up two scalps.