Warner, Finch tons help Australia pummel India

OPENERS David Warner and Aaron Finch struck dominant centuries in a record partnership to power Austra lia to a crushing 10-wicket win over I nd ia i n t he f i r st one-day internationa l on Tuesday.

Wa r ner ( pi c t u r e d, A F P) bla sted 128 whi le c apt a i n Finch made 110 as Austra lia chased down t heir ta rget of 256 in just 37.4 overs in Mumbai to ta ke a 1-0 lead in t he t hree-match series.

Pac ema n Mitchel l St a rc a lso played a key pa r t wit h t h ree w icket s t hat helped bowl out India for 255 in 49.1 overs af ter t he tourists elected to f ield f i rst i n t heir f i rst 50 -over out i ng s i nc e l a s t year’s World Cup.

Warner and Finch then put together an unbroken stand of 258, t he hig hest pa r t nership for a ny wicket in ODIs against India.

“I t hink I’ve a lways had t he hunger and desire for runs,” Warner said after getting t he man of the match award.

“It’s just a great effort from our fast bowlers to knock India over for 255 . . . We got off to a f lier [while chasing], and we were very clinical in the end.”

War ner reached h is 18t h ODI hundred in 88 balls with a boundar y off Indian quick Jasprit Bumrah, jumping with joy and k issing his helmet to celebrate t he k nock.

Finch completed his cent ur y i n 108 ba l ls but it was Warner who remained in total cont rol as he f i nished it of f with two of 17 boundaries. He a lso hit t hree si xes.

K L

Rahul, who made 47 f or

India, kept wicket a f ter reg u la r g loveman Rishabh Pant suffered a concussion following a blow on the helmet while batting.

Indian batting collapse

It was t he second-w icket 121-run stand between Rahul and Dhawan that put India on course for a big score but they slipped from 134-1 to 164-5 in t he space of 35 deliveries. The lef t-handed Dhaw a n s ma s he d n i ne fours a nd one si x in his 91-ball knock and was well supporte d b y

Rahul, who eventually event fell to Ashton Agar’s lef left-arm t spin. Pat Cummins was w brought back from the oth other end and sent Dhawa n b back to t he pav i l ion a f ter he f l icked to cover where Aga r took t he catch.

Skipper Virat Ko Kohli did not last long, hitting Adam Zampa for a six be before he was caught and bowled b with the next ball ba for 16. Pant an and Ravindra Jadeja, who w hit 25, made 4 9 r u n s w i t h a n a t t a c k i n g p a r t n e r - s h i p. But Kane Richa r d s o n c l a i m e d Jadeja a nd Cummins got Pant for 28.

A short ball from Cummins hurried onto Pant who went for a pull and got a top edge onto t he helmet, t he ball lobbing towards point.

Number 10 batsma n Kuldeep Yadav made a useful 17 to ta ke India’s score past 250 before bei ng r u n out by a d i r e c t t h r ow f r om St e v e Smith.

“It’s a ver y st rong Austra lian team, and if you don’t play wel l enough, t hey wi l l hur t you,” said Kohli.

“I n pha ses, we were too respectful against their bowlers, and didn’t ta ke the game by t he scr uf f of t he neck. It’s another challenge to bounce back from here.”

The second ODI is on Friday in Rajkot.