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Kuala Lumpur, Sept 22: India were bumped out of the cricket triseries after another batting failure saw them crash to an 18-run defeat while chasing a modest target against Australia in the last league match here today. After the bowlers had done a creditable job once again to restrict the three-time world champions to 213, the Indian batsmen failed to deliver once again and were bowled out for 195 with nearly seven overs going unutilised at the Kinrara Oval. Brett Lee ripped through the Indian line-up to claim 5-38 while Stuart Clark and Brad Hogg picked two wickets each and Glenn McGrath returned an economical none for 25 from his eight overs in an immaculate bowling performance by the Aussies.
Dinesh Mongia was the only Indian batsman to stand up to the task with a top score of 63. Suresh Raina showed a touch of class in his brief knock of 26 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni might have been shade unlucky as Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf failed to spot the 'no ball' off which he was caught out. Australia, having completed a splendid comeback win, will now take on the West Indies in the final on Sunday. India ended with just one win from four matches - although two of them were hit by rain - in the series.
The much talked about McGrath-Tendulkar confrontation did not materialise as Lee snared the Mumbaikar who sliced at an away delivery to point. Tendulkar (4) had actually been declared caught off McGrath a few deliveries earlier but umpire Mark Benson reversed his decision after television replays showed the 'catch' came off the batsman's shoulder. Mongia, who played his last match more than 16 months ago against Pakistan in Delhi, carried his bat through the innings but failed to really take control of proceedings even after being well set.
Dhoni might have been out off a no ball but his shot selection still left a lot to be desired. The only bright, if brief, note of the Indian batting was the knock of Suresh Raina who showed great maturity in tackling a world class attack. His straight six off Andrew Symonds was stunning both for the bold execution and the power of the shot. The Indian think-tank might also reconsider its batting order if given a second chance. Virender Sehwag was restored to his usual opener's slot after he struggled to score at no. 4 in the previous matches. And Rahul Dravid dropped down to four.
It made little sense to send Mohammad Kaif, who has been in and out of the team, at one down and Mongia ahead of the in form Raina. In the end, the team that had set a record for successfull chases last year, failed to overhaul a low target. Earlier, electing to bat, the three-time world champions failed to break the shackles thrown around them by the tidy Indian bowlers and were eventually all out in 48.1 overs. The Aussies owed their total to a 77-run partnership between Brad Haddin and Brad Hogg who came together after the team had slipped to 117 for six in 32nd over. Haddin was judged run out on one by umpire Asad Rauf but was recalled after television replays showed Harbhajan Singh, the bowler, had disturbed the stumps with his hands while collecting the throw.
The wicketkeeper-batsman went on to make 46 from 63 balls, studded with four sixes and a four. Hogg made 38 to give the Australian innings some late thrust. The top scorer for the Aussies was opener Matthew Hayden who made a fluent 54. The Aussie innings, however, was marred by three run outs, and could have been more if Harbhajan had not missed Haddin. Ajit Agarkar (2-44) and Rudra Pratap Singh (2-43) were the best bowlers for India while Munaf Patel, Dinesh Mongia and Harbhajan fetched one wicket each. Hayden middled the ball well in his second successive match of the series. There were glimpses of the old belligerence when he strode out to the pacers and lofted them over the boundary. But the huge left-hander was once again guilty of hesitant calling that resulted in his own run out.
Hayden called for a single after Damien Martyn pushed Harbhajan to off side but failed to make it home in time. Only a few moments ago, the two batsmen were caught in a mix up and Martyn escaped when Ajit Agarkar's direct hit and Sachin Tendulkar's back-up throw both failed to hit the stumps at the non-striker's end. The Indians were brilliant in their ground fielding, Suresh Raina's diving catch to his left at point to dismiss Simon Katich off Agakar in the ninth over.
Haddin and Hogg showed that preserving wickets early and going for big hits in the later stages was the way to go on the Kinrara wicket which had slowed down with the rains staying away. Mongia failed to make an impact after a promising start with Haddin collecting three sixes off him. The Punjab left-hander was included in place of S Sreesanth and Mohammad Kaif in the two changes made by India. Australia saw the return of captain Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath, Katich and Martyn who had sat out the previous match.
Scorecard | Listen to Audio Report by Krish Srikkanth: (Agencies)
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