Australia beat India by 3 runs in the 5th ODI
Australia has beaten India by 3 runs in the 5th ODI to go up 3-2. Despite a magnificent 175 from the master Sachin Tendulkar India fell agonisingly short of what would have been the highest successful run chase on Indian soil. Set up by a century to Marsh and 90 to Watson Australia posted a massive 4/350. Marsh's maiden ODI century eventually ended for a run a ball 112 while Watson was out for 93 off 89 balls. A rapid 57* from 33 balls by Cameron White which included 5 sixes helped Australia post the 7th highest score in India and the highest on this ground. Australia's 13 sixes were the most scored by a team against India in India. Harbahjahn Singh was the pick of the bowlers, while only taking 1 wickets his 10 overs only went for 44 runs while Kumar, Jadeja, Nehra and Patel all went for more than 7.5 an over.
In reply India got off to a quick start and a brilliant 175 from 141 balls by Tendulkar and a run a ball 59 from Suresh Raina took India close before the panic set in and a flurry of run outs saw India fall short. . Clint McKay bowled brilliantly on debut picking up 3/59 off his 10 overs while Watson chipped in with 3 wickets as well. Bollinger, Hauritz, Hilfenhaus and Hussey were all expensive.
Scorecard
Quotes
Ponting " It was one of the amazing games and certainly one of the best innings ever from Sachin. You just have to keep hanging in there, you just have tell your bowlers to keep bowling to the plan. just one bad shot and we could come in but Sachin didn't play many bad shots today! Its really unbelievable how we have played, considering al the injuries. Marsh played realy well.:"
Dhoni "They got off to a good start and we never got into a postion to contain them. It was up to us to chase it. We got a good start and we came in the end due to Tendulkar and Raina. We lost it in our mental calculation, not because of our talent. It was one of the good ODI tracks we have seen in India, you have to be smart. Hopefully we will be up for the next two games."
Cricinfo "Congrats Australia, a team battered with injuries has hung on for a memorable win.. Sixty one years ago, at the end of a tour of England by Don Bradman's famous pack, John Arlott put it thus: "Australianism," wrote Arlott, "means single-minded determination to win - to win within the laws but, if necessary, to the last limit within them. It means where the 'impossible' is within the realm of what the human body can do, there are Australians who believe that they can do it - and who have succeeded often enough to make us wonder if anything is impossible to them. It means they have never lost a match - particularly a Test match - until the last run is scored or their last wicket down."
Man Of the Match
My MOM - Clint McKay and Sachin Tendulkar
Official MOM - Sachin Tendulkar
The last word - A brilliant game of cricket and one the best innings of all time by Tendulkar. As I said in my congratulations on 17,000 runs port we are lucky to be able to watch such a brilliant batsmen, especially when he plays like he did tonight.
