A magnificent 175 from Sachin Tendulkar overshadowed a maiden century from Shaun Marsh, but it was Australia who came out triumphant by three runs in the fifth one-day international against India in Hyderabad.
Marsh was twice dropped but made the most of those reprieves as he powered to 112, while opening partner Shane Watson (93), Cameron White (57) and Ricky Ponting (45) all made substantial contributions to power Australia to a massive 350 for four.
Tendulkar replied in style and, aided brilliantly by Suresh Raina (59), brought India within sniffing distance of victory, but Australia kept their heads as India were bowled out for 347 with three deliveries to spare. The win gave Australia a 3-2 lead in the seven-match series.
The visitors began well, with Watson getting them off to a flyer as he smashed the new-ball bowlers around.
He blasted first-change bowler Munaf Patel for a four and a six in his second over to quickly close in on a half-century and clobbered Ashish Nehra for another four and six to reach the milestone off just 40 deliveries.
Australia's free scoring was finally curbed with the introduction of Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh, the two bowling accurately in tandem and asserting a degree of control.
India's reply began in usual sprightly fashion with Sehwag providing the initial thrust. The opener had clubbed 38 off 30 deliveries when Doug Bollinger, who had grassed him earlier when the batsman was on 21, held a splendid catch running back from short fine-leg to send back the opener.
Tendulkar, who had needed seven runs at the start of the innings to reach 17,000 in ODI. Tendulkar, who had smashed Nathan Hauritz for consecutive sixes in an over, reached his 45th ODI century off just 81 deliveries and continued to flay the bowlers around as India closed in on the target.
Eight were needed from the last over, but Praveen Kumar was run out while attempting a second run, the wicket handing Australia victory.
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It's not a new loss for indian cricket as usual whenever tendulkar play well most chances of lossing the match...So better to don't bother about the loss. Just a loss that's all...
probably one of the best games ever!
tendulkar was absolutely brilliant, and australia pretty much looked out of it at one stage until his dismissal. it was a real privaledge to watch.
and it was a remarkable performance for a very young and inexperienced aussie side, who with johnson on the sidelines had amazingly lost 10 players to injuries (both some 1st 11 players, their replacements, and their replacements replacements). what is perhaps more remarkable is that watson was not one of them!
i gave the aussies little chance of taking this series but now, who knows? with such an inexperienced attack, it will be up to their batsmen to fire. but if india play to their potential they should win the remaining two games against this line up. they will have to handle pressure better, though.
It was a great performance again from the master blaster..Indeed it was hard to see them loosing the match after such a magnificent knock from the SRT...No change in the team even after many lessons in the past 20 years...
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