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InDepth headlines national business sports cricket regional entertainment technology world travel autos health | in-depth coverage > India in Australia 2003-04 > Awesome Aussies annihilate India in Sydney 16.25 IST 08th Feb 2004 By Manish Kumar 
The Australian tour, which started so well for India has come to an end, but not with a bang, but with a whimper as the nightmares of the World Cup final in Johannesburg came back to haunt the visitors as the world champions put up the exact score of 359, this time with the loss of 5 wickets and went on to beat India by 208 runs in the second final of the Tri-series at the Sydney Cricket Ground on February 8.With the win in the first final at MCG under their belt, Australia won the best-of-three finals 2-0. Chasing the huge victory target of 360 runs, India were bundled out for 151 runs in 33.2 overs. The Indian chase set off in a spectacular fashion as Virender Sehwag dispatched the first ball from Jason Gillespie over the fine-leg fence for a six. But Gillespie had the last laugh as Brett Lee took a fantastic catch at short fine-leg to send Sehwag back to the pavilion after scoring 12 runs. Sachin Tendulkar failed for the eighth consecutive time in a final as he too was caught by Lee at short fine-leg off Gillespie after scoring 27 runs. V V S Laxman, who made Aussie bowlers dance to the music by his wrists throughout the tour, failed today, giving a simple catch to Lee. The third umpire had to be called for to make the decision for it looked like a bump catch. Laxman scored 5 runs. Rahul Dravid played ten balls without scoring a run and on the eleventh ball was run out by a direct hit from Damien Martyn while trying to sneak in a quick single. Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly was caught at backward point by Andrew Symonds off Ian Harvey after scoring three runs. Yuvraj Singh could score just 4 runs before he was caught behind by Adam Gilchrist off Harvey. If in the first final India were 75/6, today they were 59/6. Hemang Badani was run out for 18, while Irfan Pathan top scored for India with 30 runs. Earlier, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat on a pitch that had not one blade of grass. Australian run assault was led by the big left-handed opener Matthew Hayden, who top scored for the Aussies, hitting his fourth one-day hundred (his third against India), studded with eleven fours and three sixes. But before Hayden’s heroics, it was Gilchrist who pummeled the Indian bowling in his trademark style. With four fours, Gilchrist raced to 29 off 32 balls. It took the Indians 9 overs in which they were belted for 62 runs to know how to bowl at the most dangerous batsman in the world: a rising delivery in the ribs. Ashish Nehra, playing in place of the injured Ajit Agarkar had surprised Gilchrist with a rising delivery and had him caught at mid-on by Ganguly in his first over. Ponting, the wrecker-in-chief in Johannesburg, today missed out getting out caught behind by Dravid while going for a big hit over long on off Pathan. With Australia 73/2 and Ponting back in the pavilion for 4, India had every chance to another wicket as they had an out-of-form Damien Martyn at the crease. But Hayden made it easy for Martyn by going for big hits and Martyn responded well and went on to complete his half-century. The stylish right-hander was Pathan’s second victim caught by Badani for 67. Hayden continued his assault on the Indian bowlers scoring 126 runs off 122 balls with eleven fours and three sixes. He was bowled from behind by the legs by Sachin when trying a reverse sweep. If Hayden pulverised the Indian bowling, it was his good friend Symonds who belted the final nail in the Indian coffin. Symonds completed his 50 off just 32 balls and put up a 50-run partnership with Michael Clarke for the fifth wicket in just 26 balls. Symonds scored 66 runs off 39 balls with seven fours and three sixes. Clarke remained not out on 33, alongwith Simon Katich, who remained unbeaten on 11 as the Australian batting juggernaut came to a halt at 359/5 only because their 50 overs were completed. With this match, the Australian tour has come to an end. India surprised the whole world with their performance in the Test series, but failed to raise their level when Australia ‘raised the bar’. in-depth coverage > India in Australia 2003-04 > |
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