Finch makes a statement with ton on return

INDORE: Aaron Finch slammed a remarkable century on comeback to help Australia reach 293/6 in the third ODI at the Holkar Stadium on Sunday.

The 30-year-old batsman, who had missed the Chennai and Kolkata ODIs due to a calf strain, smashed his eighth ODI century off 110 balls. It was his second ton against India, having scored 107 in the Canberra ODI in 2016.

Finch shared a 154-run stand with captain Steve Smith and negotiated the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal brilliantly.

This was their third century partnership for the second wicket, having earlier shared stands of 101 in Melbourne in 2015 and 182 in the semi-final of the 2015 World Cup in Sydney.

Finch’s brilliant ton and his partnership with Smith (63), gave Australia the momentum for the first time in the series after they had won the toss and chosen to bat.

STEADY START

n a flat pitch, Finch, along with David Warner, started steadily in the face of some disciplined bowling from Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

It was Finch who broke the shackles by slamming two boundaries off Bumrah in the fourth over. Taking cue, Warner found his aggression and the pair put on 70 for the opening wicket.

BREAKTHROUGH

Hardik Pandya broke the stand when he castled Warner for 42 with an off-cutter but Finch, who survived a close run-out chance on 41, notched up his fifty off 61 balls when he launched Yuzvendra Chahal down the ground for a boundary.

This boundary had followed another one, a glance, off the first ball of Chahal’s over.

After reaching his milestone, Finch played confidently against Kuldeep and Pandya. He steadily increased his strikerate.

The 30-year-old lofted Bhuvneshwar for a straight six over long-off and hammered Kuldeep for a six and four in an over.

AARON FINCH’S BRILLIANT TON AND HIS PARTNERSHIP WITH STEVE SMITH (63), GAVE AUSTRALIA MOMENTUM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE SERIES.

QUICK-FIRE KNOCK

He reached the landmark by sweeping the 22-year-old Chinaman for a boundary to fine leg. He scored his last 74 runs off just 64 deliveries.

By the time he was dismissed for 124 (off 125 balls) in the 38th over, Australia had reached 224 and looked set to reach the 300run mark.

Finch last played an ODI during the Champions Trophy quarterfinal loss to England and scored 68.

Other than that, he has had an ordinary run in the ODIs he had played over the past one year, scoring fifty on two other occasions.