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Sachin show lights up Sydney

S. Dinakar

Rohit plays supporting role to perfection as India takes a 1-0 lead

Sydney: Sachin Tendulkar personified determination at the SCG on Sunday. From the media box, you could almost hear his heart beating. His face mirrored joy, anguish, pain, and the occasional anger. He laughed, chided himself, and battled on with a strained groin.

At SCG, where he has been prolific in Tests, the maestro carved an ODI innings of great character. It was a match-winning effort, an innings for the team. Tendulkar’s unbeaten 117 (120b, 10x4) was the major factor in India’s six-wicket win over Australia in the first CB ODI series final.

His 42nd ODI hundred was his first one-day century down under. Chasing 240 for victory, India romped home in the 46th over. The huge Indian contingent in the stands danced and sung. India defeated Australia for the first time in an ODI at the SCG.

The Indians will travel to Brisbane with the knowledge that they are just one match away from triumphing in the final edition of the Australian tri-series. They have an opportunity to make history.

Team effort

While Tendulkar’s innings was the high-point, the win stemmed from a team effort. Rohit Sharma (66, 87b, 6x4) delighted in a pressure situation. Some of his straight driving indicated his promise.

The 123-run fourth-wicket partnership between Tendulkar and Rohit took the game away from the Aussies and Dhoni provided the finishing touches.

Tendulkar ensured that the effort the bowlers had put in, in the morning did not go waste. He was solid when the delivery demanded defence. He was rapier-like when the bowler gave him the slightest opportunity.

Nathan Bracken was just a shade wide and Tendulkar creamed him through point. When the bowlers pitched on middle and leg, he used his wrists to whip the ball through mid-wicket. Much of his cover-driving, particularly off left-arm Chinaman bowler Brad Hogg, was majestic. Mitchell Johnson fired one short from round the wicket, and Tendulkar innovatively guided the ball to the third-man fence.

The great batsman survived a couple of anxious moments early on against Brett Lee and Nathan Bracken and then applied himself. Nothing bothered him, not even a Lee beamer.

Opening platform

Tendulkar and Robin Uthappa laid a platform with a stable opening stand. Uthappa succumbed to a brilliant catch in deep mid-wicket by Michael Hussey. The in-form Gautam Gambhir’s initial indecisiveness on a second run saw him being run-out. Yuvraj Singh realised once again that Brad Hogg had too much fizz to be read off the surface.

The contest was alive when Rohit joined Tendulkar. The youngster was outstanding and had enough time to play his shots. He pulled James Hopes and Bracken in front of square. His used the crease well and displayed a good resolve. A scorching yorker from Lee was dug out well.

With Tendulkar offering guidance, the youngster used his supple wrists to coax the ball into empty spaces and found boundaries when needed.

Mitchell Johnson had a rare off-day and with Australia finding it hard pressed to check the flow of runs under the lights, it was game India.

Early trouble

It, probably, was a good toss to lose for Dhoni. Batting first was the preferred option for both teams, however, morning rain and the sweat under the covers had left some moisture for the pacemen to exploit early on.

Ponting elected to bat and Australia was soon in trouble. Praveen consumed Adam Gilchrist and Ponting on the pull. Michael Clarke saw an Ishant Sharma off-cutter brush his pads on the way to Dhoni. To Clarke’s horror, umpire Rudi Koerzten upheld the appeal.

Praveen sharing the new ball with Ishant Sharma, used his wrist and shoulder effectively with the new ball and bowled well at the death too with swing and change of pace.

Hayden, who went past 6000 ODI runs, batted with a blend of power and placement. Irfan Pathan struggled for rhythm and was taken to the cleaners by the big left-hander.

The selection of the eleven was bold. The Indians stuck to the five-bowler formula but both S. Sreesanth and Munaf Patel were overlooked. Instead, leggie Piyush Chawla was picked. It was a gamble that paid.

Critical phase

Given that it is difficult to manage two spinners with three blocks of Power Plays, Dhoni used Harbhajan and Piyush well in the middle overs. The game changed in this critical phase.

Harbhajan had a threatening Andrew Symonds taken at the mid-wicket fence. Then, a well-set Matthew Hayden was unable to keep a sweep off the off-spinner down. Chawla was efficient even if he did not spin his leg-spinners a great deal. India was humming even if the fielding was often untidy.

And then Tendulkar showed he still had the eye of the tiger.

SCOREBOARD

Australia: A. Gilchrist c Yuvraj b Praveen 7, M. Hayden c Piyush b Harbhajan 82, R. Ponting b Praveen 1, M. Clarke c Dhoni b Ishant 4, A. Symonds c Praveen b Harbhajan 31, M. Hussey (run out) 45, J. Hopes c Dhoni b Yuvraj 15, B. Hogg (not out) 23, B. Lee c Rohit b Pathan 17, M. Johnson (not out) 6; Extras (b-1, w-7): 8; Total (for eight wkts. in 50 overs): 239.

Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Gilchrist), 2-19 (Ponting), 3-24 (Clarke), 4-124 (Symonds), 5-135 (Hayden), 6-173 (Hopes), 7-212 (Hussey), 8-231 (Lee).

India bowling: Praveen 10-1-49-2, Ishant 8-0-32-1, Pathan 7-0-63-1, Harbhajan 10-0-38-2, Piyush 10-0-33-0, Yuvraj 4-0-18-1, Rohit 1-0-5-0.

India: R. Uthappa c Hussey b Hopes 17, S. Tendulkar (not out) 117, G. Gambhir (run out) 3, Yuvraj b Hogg 10, Rohit b Hopes 66, M. Dhoni (not out) 15; Extras (b-4, lb-2, w-6, nb-2): 14; Total (for four wkts. in 45.5 overs): 242.

Fall of wickets: 1-50 (Uthappa), 2-56 (Gambhir), 3-87 (Yuvraj), 4-210 (Rohit).

Australia bowling: Lee 9-0-33-0, Bracken 8-0-42-0, Johnson 10-0-70-0, Hopes 8.5-0-42-2, Hogg 7-0-38-1, Clarke 3-0-11-0.

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