Australia beat India by 34 runs in ODI opener
Sydney — Australia fended off an explosive century from Rohit Sharma to post a 34-run victory over India in the first one-day interna- tional in Sydney on Saturday.
The Australians scored 288 for five off their 50 overs after winning the toss and restricted India to 254 for nine. Sharma blasted 133 off 129 balls in a scintillating effort to keep India in the contest, while man-of-the-match Jhye Richardson took four for 26 for Australia.
It was a tonic for the ailing Australians, coming off their first-ever home Test series defeat to Virat Kohli’s India and after winning just three of their previous 24 ODIs.
Peter Handscomb topscored with 73 off 61 balls for Australia with Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh registering half-centuries.
“I am very pleased with the performance,” Australia skipper Aaron Finch said. “I think the way they rebuilt, Rohit and MS Dhoni, we knew they will take it deep and we managed to pick up the wickets at the right time.
“We can always improve, our execution with the ball was at times off. It will be a good series.”
Handscomb, passed over this week by selectors for this month’s two Tests against Sri Lanka, led the way with six fours and two sixes.
Fellow Test discard Marsh knocked up 54 off 70 balls while Khawaja made 59 from 81.
India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished with two for 66 and wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav claimed two for 54.
“We are not very pleased with the way we played,” Kohli said.
“I thought we were fine with the ball, score of 300-plus was par on that wicket. We thought 280 was chaseable on that wicket but losing three wickets in such a short span of time is never good.
“Rohit was outstanding and MS Dhoni supported him well but we could have done better with the tempo of the game.”
The second match in the threematch series takes place in Adelaide on Tuesday. —
A. Carey c Sharma b Kuldeep A. Finch b Kumar
U. Khawaja lbw b Jadeja
S. Marsh c Shami b Kuldeep P. Handscomb c Dhawan b Kumar M. Stoinis not out
G. Maxwell not out
Extras (b4, lb2, nb2, w6)
1-8, 2-41, 3-133, 4-186, 5-254 J. Richardson, N. Lyon, P. Siddle, J. Behrendorff
Kumar 10-0-66-2 (1w), Ahmed 8-0-55-0 (2w, 2nb), Shami 10-0-46-0 (3w), Kuldeep 10-0-54-2, Jadeja 10-0-48-1, Rayudu 2-0-13-0
R. Sharma c Maxwell b Stoinis
FIrSt blooD
S. Dhawan lbw b Behrendorff V. Kohli c Stoinis b Richardson A. Rayudu lbw b Richardson M.S. Dhoni lbw b Behrendorff D. Karthik b Richardson R. Jadeja c Marsh b Richardson B. Kumar not out
K. Yadav c Khawaja b Siddle M. Shami c Maxwell b Stoinis
(lb7, nb1, w6)
24 6 59 54 73 47 11 14
133
0 3 0 51 12 8 29 3 1 14
1-1, 2-4, 3-4, 4-141, 5-176, 6-213, 7-221, 8-247, 9-254
K. Ahmed Behrendorff 10-2-39-2 (1w, 1nb), Richardson 10-2-26-4 (3w), Siddle 8-0-48-1, Lyon 10-1-50-0, Stoinis 10-0-66-2 (2w), Maxwell 2-0-18-0
Australia won by 34 runs