Dhawan slams ton as Aussie attack falters

INDIA V AUSTRALIA

MONDAY, JUNE 10, 2019 themercury.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS 1300 696 397 SHIKHAR Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have proved flies in the ointment again for Australia, the openers piling on the runs at The Oval last night.

Virat Kohli added a fine 82 as India rattled to 5-352.

Batting first, Dhawan hit a 94-ball century against Australia as part of a 127-run opening stand alongside Sharma.

It marked the sixth time the two openers have put on a century partnership against the Australians.

Only the great West Indies pairing of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes can claim such a record against an opposition team, punishing India in the 1980s.

Out of form with three straight single-figure scores, Dhawan had no such troubles against Australia.

The Melbourne resident was glorious through the off side last night. He took his time early, before exploding into action when he helped take Nathan Coulter-Nile’s first over for 14.

From there, the momentum was all India’s. And Dhawan was the driving force. He hit 13 boundaries in his century, before he brought up triple figures off an overthrow after a ball ricocheted off the stumps.

The hundred was Dhawan’s MATCH 14, THE OVAL, LONDON SHARMA c Carey b Coulter-Nile . 57 DHAWAN c sub (Lyon) b Starc.. 117 KOHLI c Cummins b Stoinis........ 82 PANDYA c Finch b Cummins....... 48 DHONI c and b Stoinis................ 27 RAHUL not out........................... 11 JADHAV not out............................ 0 Sundries (3lb, 7w)...................... 10

127 (Sharma), 220 (Dhawan), 301 (Pandya), 338 (Dhoni), 348 (Kohli). Cummins 10-0-55-1, Starc 10-0-74-1, Coulter-Nile 10-1-63-1, Maxwell 7-0-45-0, Zampa 6-0-50-0, Stoinis 7-0-62-2. 50. fourth against Australia — his equal most of any opponent.

He was eventually out for 117, caught in the deep off the bowling of Mitchell Starc.

Dhawan first made his name against Australia in 2013 at Mohali. There, he scored the quickest Test century of a debutant when he brought up three figures off 85 balls, before finishing on 187.

Sharma’s record is just as impressive individually, after he was knocked over for 57 last night. He averages 61.72 in 37 matches against Australia.