Cricket Match
Australia vs India
Last Updated: March 24, 2011 5:10pm
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India beat Australia by five wickets
Brilliant game of cricket, and India deservedly through to the last four. Australia batted well, led by Ricky Ponting's defiant century, but their bowling was, in truth, rotten. Tendulkar laid the platform, Yuvraj held things together and Raina ensured nerves never became a factor after a few soft wickets gave Australia a sniff. Next Wednesday in Mohali is going to be something special: India v Pakistan for a place in the World Cup final.
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Over 48: Lee 0-0-0-4
261-5 - Yuvraj seals India's victory by crashing the ball through the covers for four! Superb performance from India to chase down a decent score on a testing track, and Australia's long reign as World Cup champions is finally over.
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Over 47: Johnson 4-1-1lb-1-0wd-1-2
257-5 - Another classy shot from Raina, who has thoroughly justified his faintly controversial inclusion ahead of Yusuf Pathan. Here he gets right across his stumps to use the angle from Johnson and flick the ball away fine on the legside for four. Singles picked off easily from the rest of the over, with yet another wide highlighting how Australia have just failed to keep sufficient pressure on defending their competitive 260-6.
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Over 46: Lee 6-1-0-0-0-0
246-5 - It's Raina not Lee who lands the telling punch, launching the first ball of the powerplay over the ropes at long-on for six. Magnificent shot. India didn't need the big shot particularly, but having played it so superbly the little lingering pressure has been almost totally removed by that one blow.
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Powerplay
Mandatory batting powerplay.
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Over 45: Watson 1-1-1-2-1-1
239-5 - Yuvraj well on the way to being the Player of the Tournament here as he completes another half-century to go with his crop of wickets. Australia's 12-year grip on the World Cup is almost gone. Seven runs from the over without any fuss or alarm. A patched-up Lee is back on the field having apparently been designated the man to bear the physical scars for all my rubbish boxing analogies earlier. He and his team need a Rocky-style against-the-odds victory from the brink now.
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Over 44: Krejza 1-1-1-0-0-0
232-5 - Just three singles off the over as Yuvraj misses out on a generous long-hop outside off stump. Tried to hit it too hard and made poor contact.
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Over 43: Watson 1-1-1-0-4-0
229-5 - Watson back into the attack, but he can't stem the flow of runs. Lee, meanwhile, needs to stem the flow of blood after trying to cut off a boundary on the long-leg boundary but only deflecting the ball into his own face and getting a nasty cut near his eye. To add insult to injury, the ball trickles apologetically into the rope.
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Over 42: Krejza 0-1-0-0-0-1
222-5 - This is exciting enough to be an England game and the noise is unbelievable. Krejza's back into the attack, and there's still plenty of turn for him. Yuvraj and Reina content to play the over on merit after the feast against the quicks.
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Over 41: Tait 1-2-4wd-1-2-0-2
220-5 - A horrible wide that misses the cut strip outside off from Tait flies down to the third-man boundary as momentum lurches dramatically in India's favour. Another wheel comes off the Aussie cart as an overthrow gifts Raina a second run, and he picks up two more with a flick to long-leg. India have plundered 31 runs from the last 13 balls!
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Over 40: Lee 4-1-0wd-0-4-0-4
207-5 - Massive over for India, and another major shift in this thrilling game. Raina pulls a telegraphed short ball to the midwicket boundary before Yuvraj adds four more by deftly using Lee's extra pace and deflecting the ball to the third-man boundary. A rocket of a square-drive makes it 14 runs from the over and Yuvraj is in the middle of one of those truly special innings of which he's capable.
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Over 39: Tait 1-1-0-0-0-4
193-5 - Tait back into the attack and looks set to keep the pressure on with a good over until a short, wide delivery is crashed over backward point for a one-bounce four by Yuvraj, who now has 8000 ODI runs. All right, it's not 18000 but it's still pretty good. Prediction result: India 4 Australia 3.
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Over 38: Lee 0-0-W-0-0-0
187-5 WICKET! This game right back in the balance now as Lee returns to prise out Dhoni. The Indian captain fails to get on top of a cut shot, and Clarke takes a smart, sharp catch going to his right at backward point. Time for another quick one-over snap assessment - where do you think this one's heading now? Mails to Dave.Tickner@bskyb.com please. Raina was superb in the field earlier in the day, and now he has a huge job on with the bat to help Yuvraj steer India to victory. Lee completes a wicket maiden as this high-class match takes another significant turn.
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Over 37: Johnson 2-0-0-4-2-0
187-4 - Fine over from both bowler and batsman. Johnson bowling full looking for swing and lbws, and twice Yuvraj just manages to get the bat on the ball and pick up a pair of twos to square-leg. In between those he effortlessly drives down the ground for four in glorious style after being beaten outside off stump. Great contest.
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Over 36: DJ Hussey 4-1-0-0-1-0
179-4 - This might just be Hussey's final over. He starts with a short, wide delivery that Dhoni slaps to the cover boundary and things don't improve. The good news for Australia, though, is that India don't take advantage as Yuvraj manages a combined total of one run from a full-toss outside off and a long-hop down leg.
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Over 35: Johnson 0-0-1lb-1-0-0
173-4 - Johnson ends a fine over by beating Yuvraj's outside edge twice in succession. Game heading rapidly back towards the knife-edge it's been on for so much of the day.
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Over 34: DJ Hussey 0-0-0-1-1-1
171-4 WICKET! Astonishing. After another failed attempt to run himself out - Haddin throwing to the wrong end - Gambhir does perish when he offers a third chance in two overs. Yuvraj's outside edge barely gets past the slip fielder, but Gambhir is haring down the track towards him. A disbelieving Yuvraj sends him back but he has no chance of making it as White throws the ball to Hussey, who has the bails off with the batsman not in the frame. What a shambles, and it's kept Australia right in this game. Dhoni is the new batsman.
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Over 33: Johnson 1-0-0-0-1-0
168-3 - Here is some pace with Johnson getting one over to try and get something out of this old ball before the ball change. Gambhir dabs the first ball to third-man for an easy single to bring up a calm and composed half-century. Chance! And then almost gives it away in farcical fashion as Yuvraj plays the ball into the legside. Ponting fields, and Gambhir has for some reason set off on a single that's just never on. Ponting so deadly in these situations normally, but this time his throw is fractionally off target and Gambhir - who had given up on his attempt to get back - survives.
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Over 32: Krejza 2-1-1-1-2-1
166-3 - I'm easily confused, but this baffles me. Still it's spin, and Yuvraj and Gambhir help themselves to eight runs from the over. Gambhir on to 49 not out now, while Yuvraj tries to get the spinner another over by cleverly skying the ball to an area where there are no fielders. Creating the illusion of a chance while in truth remaining completely safe. Great game management.
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Over 31: DJ Hussey 1-1-0-0-0-0
158-3 - Amazed the Aussies are persisting with part-time spin here. Surely worth the gamble of Lee, Tait or Johnson to try and buy a wicket here and put the fragile India lower order under real pressure. Current score on predictions: India 3 Australia 1. Should be noted that the shout for an Australia win comes from Oliver and is for a one-run victory with India bowled out after 49.5 overs.
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Over 30: Krejza 2-1-4-1lb-0-1
156-3 - Lovely shot from Yuvraj, sweeping Krejza fine but firmly to give the fielders no chance and pick up four. Nine from the over, and surely Australia should be getting one of the quicks on before Yuvi gets in.
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Game on
India need 114 from 126 with seven wickets in hand. Predicting this is clearly a mug's game. Get your emails in to Dave.Tickner@bskyb.com
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Over 29: DJ Hussey 1-W-4-0-0-0
147-3 WICKET! Note to self: no side can ever be described as 'cruising' or 'in control' at this bonkers World Cup. Dave Hussey bowls a gentle, looping knee-high full-toss to Kohli, who smacks it straight to Clarke at midwicket. At this point it may do to point out that Australia have had collapses of 7-33, 9-29 and 7-50 already in this tournament. Yuvraj Singh is the new batsman on the back of a century in his last game. Hussey tries to repeat his success with gentle full-tosses but might just have gone to that particular well one time too many here. Yuvraj splats it for four.
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Over 28: Clarke 1-1-4-1-1-2
142-2 - Clarke clearly objected to my dismissing him as a drearyluller, so serves up an over of filth. Kohli slaps one wide half-volley to the cover boundary. India in control and cruising along at the moment with the partnership on to 48 at decent enough lick.
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Over 27: DJ Hussey 1-0-1-1-0-0
132-2 - Scratch what I said in that last Clarke over; there is one other Aussie bowler who's a bit of a drearyluller. David Hussey into the attack to bowl his perfectly serviceable but generally uninspiring offspin.
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Over 26: Krejza 2-1-1-2-0-0
129-2 - Gambhir picks the wayward Krejza off for a couple of twos through the legside. He's stealthily moved to 36 not out without telling anyone.
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Over 25: Clarke 0-1-1-1-1-1
123-2 - Say what you like about Australia - and I usually do - but there's one thing that always goes in their favour. As a bowling side, they don't much go in for the mid-innings drearylull, not with Krejza such an attacking but unpredictable spinner and Two-over Tait never far away from another entertaingly shambolic yet devastating spell. In fact, Clarke bowling is about as close as you'll ever get to true drearylull in an Australia ODI, and this over is a fine example of it. Five singles are scored which even the batsmen themselves would now struggle to describe in any detail.
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Over 24: Krejza 0-1-0-1-0-1
118-2 - Krejza looking good whenever he brings the batsman forward, and starts this over by spinning a beauty past Gambhir's outside edge. Dramatic turn there. But he's just not hitting that length consistently enough to really ramp up the pressure on the batsmen.
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Over 23: Clarke 1-1-0-1-1-0
115-2 - Spin from both ends now as Clarke comes into the attack with his left-armers. Tidy enough stuff with Gambhir and Kohli prepared to play watchfully and knock him around for singles.
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Over 22: Krejza 1-1-0-0-0-1
111-2 - Krejza tossing the ball up and giving it a chance to spin. Settled nicely after a horrible first over that could have gone for many more runs than it did. This game heading towards the thrilling conclusion we all hoped for at the outset. It's actually managing to almost live up to the hype, something which seemed frankly impossible.
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Over 21: Tait 1-0-1-1-1-2
108-2 - A Tait containing no wides, no-balls wickets or boundaries. Such is the rarity of this event that it allows even his boring overs to catch the eye.
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Over 20: Krejza 1-1-0-1-1-0
102-2 - The simple absence of Tendulkar appears to have settled Krejza, who settles on a far more useful line and length in this over and duly gets some pitch-disturbing spin and bounce.
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Over 19: Tait W-0-0-1-0nb-1-1
98-2 WICKET! This is why you have someone like Two-over Tait in your side. He's bowled unmitigated filth tonight, but now produces an absolute snorter that jags away from Tendulkar and takes the outside edge on its way through to Haddin. The umpires understandably want to check for no-balls - not least because Tait is equally as likely to transgress with back foot as front - but this delivery is just legal on both counts. Kohli gets off the mark with a single before Tait does bowl a no-ball. Gambhir fails to take full advantage, slashing the ball to third-man for a single.
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Over 18: Krejza 1-1-1-1-4-0
94-1 - Krejza into the attack and bowls a horrible over of rubbish. Long-hops all round and after a bunch of singles Gambhir decides enough is enough and clobbers a four through midwicket.
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Over 17: Tait 0wd-2-0-0-0-1-0wd-1
86-1 - Tait returns to the attack with a wide. The world somehow keeps turning. Tendulkar flicks wristily into the legside for a couple of runs to take him to 50. Another frankly insane stat: that's his 94th ODI half-century. Ninety-four! Tait fires another wide down the legside to once again give Haddin a workout. The Aussie keeper's done brilliantly to keep the wides count down here and grins as he gets back to his feet after another full-length dive.
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Over 16: Lee 0-1-0-0wd-1-0-1
79-1 - Tendulkar almost comes a cropper on 18002 as he carves the ball to third-man where Jason Krejza is just a tad slow to react and can't get to the ball on the full.
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Over 15: Watson 4-0-0-1-1-0
76-1 - Gambhir takes the attack to Watson, dancing down the track and slapping the ball over cover for four. His footwork's looked a bit leaden to date but there were no problems there.
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Over 14: Lee 0-0-0-1-1-1
70-1 - A Tendulkar single is greeted by huge cheers. Even by the standards with which his singles are normally greeted. The reason? That single takes him to the small matter of 18,000 of the things in ODI cricket. Which is only 4,572 more than anyone else to ever strap on the coloured pads in international cricket.
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Over 13: Watson 0-1-1-0-0-0
67-1 - Watson the one bowler posing Tendulkar any problem here. He has a good, close lbw shout turned down. Looked like the batsman just got outside the line at full speed, and Hawk-eye confirms as much. Would've been an on-field call as well for clipping the off pole.
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Over 12: Johnson 4-4-0-2-0-1
65-1 - Shot! Absolutely outrageous brilliance from Tendulkar as he whips Johnson through midwicket with wristy magnificence. He follows that up with an immaculately-controlled steer behind point. He's only got 40-odd but looks ominously determined to follow Ponting to three figures.
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Over 11: Watson 0-0-2-0-1-0wd-0
54-1 - A good slower ball from Watson draws a genuine edge from Tendulkar, but doesn't carry to White at first slip. Still, at least slip's in now. Gambhir chips the last ball of the over into the legside and Ponting dives forward full length to try and take the catch. The ball clearly bounces in front of him, but Punter is apparently unsure meaning we have to sit through an umpire review process. Great effort, bounced well short. On we go.
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Powerplay
Australia take the powerplay.
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Over 10: Johnson 0-0-0-0-0-1
50-1 - Good over from Johnson, although poor Cameron White is right in the firing line at a close point position. He makes one particularly fine stop in this over that porbably saves four runs before Tendulkar ends the mandatory powerplay with a single to long-leg.
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Over 9: Watson W-0-4-0-1-0
49-1 WICKET! Ahmedabad stunned into silence as Sehwag takes on a good surprise bouncer from Watson and skies it to Mike Hussey at square-leg. His poor record against Australia continues and, in truth, he never looked quite fit here today. Perhaps rushed back a tad too early. Tendulkar looks right on top of his game, though, as he drives gloriously through the covers for four.
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Over 8: Johnson 0-0-0-4-0-0
44-0 - Tendulkar is beaten by one that keeps horribly low from Johnson. How does the great man respond? a) Cast a disapproving look at the pitch and let it affect him, or b) Put it out of his mind and pull the next ball for four well in front of square in majestic style. If you answered b), congratulations! You win a fabulous, but sadly fictitious, prize.
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Over 7: Watson 1-0-0-4-0-1
40-0 - Two-over Tait and Brett Three both out of the attack now, with Shane Watson into the attack. Now he really is a more reliable - if less pacy - kind of chap, and would've picked up the big wicket of Tendulkar were first slip still in place. But he isn't, and the Little Master instead collects four. Another controlled single to third-man keeps the strike for Tendulkar
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Over 6: Johnson 0-0-0wd-0-3-0-0
34-0 - Time for Two-over Tait to take a little rest and be replaced by the much more reliable and consistent Mitchell Johnson. Stop sniggering at the back. His first ball is spot on, almost sneaking through Sehwag's defences with only a thick inside edge on to bat saving the batsman. Clearly that couldn't last, and the third ball is a wide down the legside before a leg-stump half-volley is clipped through midwicket by Sehwag. Three runs for the batsmen and another run for Tait as he successfully strives to prevent the boundary. Long delay before the final ball of the over is bowled due to some distracting lights by the sightscreen. Satisfied, Tendulkar watches a ball pass harmlessly through to Haddin.
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Over 5: Lee 1-1-0-0-0-2
30-0 - Couple of singles early in the over before Tendulkar effortlessly guides wide of third-man for a couple. Crowd politely acknowledge this neat piece of batting with a gentle round of applause. Nah, just joshing.
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Over 4: Tait 0-0nb-0-0wd-4-0-0-0
26-0 - Tait can only bowl two-over spells, which is presumably because each of his overs takes about 10 minutes to bowl. Must be exhausting. After a no-ball and a wide, Tait is effortlessly whipped behind square-leg for four by Sehwag as India continue their fast start.Tait and Lee v Tendulkar and Sehwag was never going to be dull, was it?
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Over 3: Lee 1-1-0-1-1-0
20-0 - Tendulkar and Sehwag pick up four singles. Crowd goes wild.
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Over 2: Tait 4-0wd-4-0-0wd-1
16-0 - Pure class from Tendulkar, using Shaun Tait's extreme pace to glide the ball behind point for four and then uppercut over the slips for the same result. With a couple of wild wides and another cut to third-man for a single, it makes up 11 from the over and India off to a fast start. This innings already living up to its promise for thrills and spills.
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Over 1: Lee 0-0-0wd-4-0-0-0
5-0 - Brett Lee achieves what no-one else has managed in this tournament as Sehwag inexplicably fails to whack the first ball of the innings for four. Even more ridiculously, the next ball almost gets him out as he looks to play legside and gets a leading edge to a ball that just shapes away from him. After a wide down the legside, Sehwag belatedly gets his off-the-mark boundary by flaying Lee through the covers for four before a beautiful delivery squares the batsman up and flies through to the keeper. Huge appeal for caught behind from the bowler, but no-one else seems particularly convinced. Apart from Ponting, who goes for a review. Very, very close to the edge but there's nothing there to show conclusively that he has or hasn't got a fine edge on the ball and, in the absence of Hot Spot there's not much more the third umpire can do than stick with the original on-field not-out decision.
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Betting
Not much change in the betting odds, with Australia in a touch to evens at Sky Bet after their batting effort. India are 8/11.
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Australia 260-6
Very decent batting effort that from Australia. Haddin and Watson made a solid start before Ponting's sublime century anchored the innings and David Hussey's late cameo propelled the score beyond 250. That's going to take plenty of chasing on a slow track that has offered spin and seam for the bowlers. All set up rather perfectly for what always promised to be the more dramatic half of the day's play when Australia's collection of fast bowlers go at India's top-class batting outfit. Don't go anywhere; whatever happens, this run-chase cannot fail to be enthralling.
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Over 50: Harbhajan 4wd-1-2-0-2-1-2
260-6 - Horrible start to the final over as Harbhajan fires a wide down the legside and Dhoni can't gather. Johnson then muscles the ball straight down the ground and looks sure to pick up four before Ashwin makes his second astonishing full-length diving save today. He's clawed back four runs for his side with those two efforts. Johnson adds two more to deep midwicket, Yuvraj slow to pick the ball up out of the setting sun, before a reverse-dab brings a single and fgives Hussey one las ball to have a swing at. He drags it to midwicket with no timing but collects two to take Australia up to a highly competitive 260-6.
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Over 49: Ashwin 0-2-W-0-1-1
247-6 WICKET! Ponting's brilliant innings comes to a pretty ropey end on 104 as he attempts a reverse-sweep-lap-thing that does nothing except send the ball looping gently to Zaheer at short third-man. Mitchell Johnson's the new batsman, and he gets off the mark with a single second ball. Not much time to play himself in. Ashwin ends his day's bowling impressively as the 49th over goes for just four runs and brings the wicket of Ponting.
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Over 48: Zaheer 1-1-0-1-1-2
243-5 - The 50 partnership comes up in the last over of the powerplay. Hussey more than playing his part with a contribution of 30 runs off 22 balls. Six runs off Zaheer's final over, 44 in total off the powerplay. Ponting gave 250 as a tentative target for Australia, and they're going to go past that.
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Over 47: Ashwin 1-1-6-1-1-1
237-5 - Hussey launches a huge six over midwicket but the big celebrations from the Aussie balcony come a couple of balls later as a nurdled single takes Ponting to a superb hundred. He's looked in fine form from the outset - staggering really given how poor he's looked in the tournament to date.
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Over 46: Zaheer 1-1-1-2-1-1
226-5 - Runs off every ball as Zaheer opts for good old-fashioned yorkers at this stage of the innings. Ponting just two runs away from a critic-answering century.
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White out
"Good to see Dave Hussey back in," says Alan Tarr. "But why is White in? Must be for his fielding as he has not batted well all tournament and done no bowling." Yeah, he's a lucky boy. Wonder if he regrets knocking the legspin on the head? His bow could do with an additional string at the moment.
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Over 45: Harbhajan 1-4-0-0wd-2-1-1
219-5 - Ponting launches Harbhajan over mid-off for four before surviving a huge lbw shout. Harbhajan bowling round the wicket which makes it very hard for an umpire to give him out, but it was a very full delivery and seemed to straighten. Hawk-eye's graphic produces three red lights, but India have already chucked away their two reviews on nonsense.
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Over 44: Zaheer 0-0-1-4-4-1
209-5 - Brilliant start to the over from Zaheer, two toe-crushing yorkers that Ponting can do nothing with. A single for Australia's captain brings up the 200 before Zaheer loses the plot against Hussey. A wide long-hop is crashed to the point boundary before Zaheer decides to come round the wicket. He overadjusts his line and, with fine-leg inside the circle, Hussey has the easiest of tasks to pick up another boundary.
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Powerplay
Or they'll take it now, what do I know?
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Over 43: Ashwin 0-1-1-1-1-0
199-5 - Only singles from Ashwin's comeback over, which will suit India just fine at this stage of proceedings. Still a batting powerplay to come, presumably in the last five overs of the innings.
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Over 42: Zaheer 1-W-0-4-1-0
195-5 WICKET! Zaheer strikes again as a slower ball deceives White into chipping back a return catch that the bowler clings on to safely in his followthrough. David Hussey's the new batsman and immediately beaten by one that moves away dramatically off the seam. Big leg-cutter - all you can do as a batsman is not nick it. Ergo, Hussey played it as well as possible. Plays the next one nicely as well, using the angle from round the wicket to clip Zaheer away to the fine-leg boundary.
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Over 41: Tendulkar 0-1-2-0-0-1
189-4 - Tendulkar back into the attack and gets away with another full-toss to Ponting, who hits it over extra-cover for two. Must be some kind of unwritten code between legends. There's a big leg-before shout next ball as Ponting plays back and is hit around the knee-roll, but that must have pitched outside leg and Gould shakes his head. No reviews left for India, who obviously thought that was close.
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Over 40: Munaf 0-1-4-0-0-0
185-4 - Ponting moves into the 80s as he swivel-pulls Munaf behind square-leg for another four. Three top-class from Ponting in the last couple of overs, and so much rests on him now to take Australia from a competitive total to a daunting one.
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Over 39: Yuvraj 0-0-1-6-0-4
180-4 - Just seen some genuinely astonishing quotes from Geoff Boycott about the sad news that Mike Yardy has flown home from the World Cup suffering from depression. Boycott's batting ability, it seems, rendered him immune to depression. And also empathy, and basic human kindness. Meanwhile, back in Ahmedabad, Ponting continues to relocate his lost form as Yuvraj's final over goes for 11 runs including a big six over wide long-off and a late cut for four to third-man. Doesn't take long for a great player to look back to their best after a lean trot.
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Over 38: Ashwin 0-0-0-1-1-1
169-4 - Another bowling change from Dhoni, who always gets mad praise when a wicket falls after he does this. But at the end of the day, if you throw enough balls at enough coconuts you win a goldfish. Dhoni thinks he's got another pet for the tank here as White appears to glove an attempted sweep shot to give the keeper an easy catch but umpire Erasmus is unmoved. Dhoni uses his second review, and the very first TV replay confirms the ricochet is off forearm not glove. Excellent decision from Marais.
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Over 37: Yuvraj 0-1-1-0-0-0
166-4 - Dhoni is a big fan of bowling changes. Yuvraj back into the attack now with his surprisingly-effective pies.
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Over 36: Kohli 1-1-0-2-1-1
164-4 - Virat Kohli into the attack bowling his bustling medium-pace leg-breaks, delivered in a flurry of arms after an enthusiastic run-up. White plays a sweet cover-drive but is denied two of the four runs he deserved by a cracking diving stop from Ashwin on the cover fence.
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Over 35: Harbhajan 1-1-0-4-0-0
158-4 - Harbhajan continues with the 'new' ball. White almost gets himself out in farcical fashion as an attempted paddle sweep lobs off the bat and only just out of the reach of Gautam Gambhir at short-leg. Ponting decides it's best to play a proper full-blooded sweep shot and hammers the ball to the square-leg fence. Harbhajan unhappy with the fielding effort on the boundary, but there was no stopping that. First boundary off Harbhajan today, in his eighth over.
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Over 34: Zaheer 1-0-W-1-0-1
152-4 WICKET! Wonderful delivery from Zaheer in the final over with the old ball, managing to bowl a reverse-swinging slower ball - which is frankly mental - that arcs through Hussey's defences and take out off stump. Massive wicket, brilliant delivery, and India just starting to exert control on this one. Cameron White, or The Out Of Form Cameron White to give him his full name, is the new batsman and he's straight away off the mark with a scampered single. Watching the replays of that Hussey wicket, and it really does bear repeating just what a superb delivery that is. In baseball parlance it's a knuckleball. You've no chance of picking it; once it starts swinging as well it borders on unfair. Brilliant.
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Over 33: Harbhajan 1-0-1-1-0-0
149-3 - This clearly a crucial passage of play, and Dhoni has turned to his two best bowlers. Harbhajan ends the over with a pitch-perfect off-break that spins past Hussey's tentative defensive prod and into Dhoni's gloves.
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Over 32: Zaheer 1-1-1-0-1-1
146-3 - Tendulkar out of the attack after that solitary over, the fall of Clarke's wicket prompting Dhoni to go back to his main man Zaheer in the hope of ending this crucial partnership before it gets started. Shame really, would have been interesting to see what happened if Tendulkar got Ponting out. And would Punter have walked? Ominously for India, a bunch of singles are collected without fuss or alarm. That will be the plan for the next handful of overs.
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Over 31: Yuvraj 1-0-1-W-0-1
141-3 WICKET! Another wicket for Yuvraj! He's got 11 for the tournament now as Clarke plays an unusual shot for him and picks out Zaheer Khan at cow corner. Luckily for India, he wasn't looking down at what he was treading in and took a smart catch. Mike Hussey is the new batsman, and his first task is to congratulate his skipper on registering his first half-century of World Cup 2011.
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Pat
Emile has found another explanation for cow corner. "In the early days of cricket it is reported that the fielder at cow corner constantly looked down (to see what he was treading in) as often as he looked up to see the ball in mid air." I like it. Although it does rather suggest that a crucial word is missing from the name.
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Over 30: Tendulkar 1-1-0-1-1-1
138-2 - Huge cheers from the Ahmedabad crowd as some chap called Sachin comes on for a bowl. The noise level rises and rises before stopping momentarily as a high full-toss is smashed into the legside by Ponting. The noise returns as everyone realises he's missed out and picked out the man in the deep. And the volume increases yet again as Tendulkar rips a big-spinning leg-break past Clarke's outside edge. Unplayable delivery - Tendulkar himself would've struggled to deal with it.
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Over 29: Yuvraj 0-1-0-2lb-0-1
133-2 - A leg-bye has umpire Ian Gould in a spot of bother as he almost loses his balance giving his signal to the scorers. It's a tough gig this umpiring lark.
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Over 28: Munaf 2-0-4-0-0-1
129-2 - Munaf convinces Dhoni to review an optimistic lbw shout that Hawk-eye confirms was not bothering the bails before Ponting lofts a glorious off-drive down the ground for a one-bounce four. For all that he's a flinty-eyed streetfighting Aussie tough nut, Ponting on song does play some gorgeous shots.
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Over 27: Yuvraj 0-0-1-0-1-0
122-2 - Ponting has his highest score of the tournament to date and is starting to look something like his old self. And he hasn't had an unseemly row with anyone yet.
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Cattle Prod
"Apparently there is a theory that the mid-wicket boundary at Dulwich College was frequented by cattle," reports Peter. Several Wikipedia users, meanwhile, say it's because "few 'legitimate' shots are aimed to this part of the field, so fielders are rarely placed there - leading to the concept that cows could happily graze in that area" which seems a nice theory, with the only flaw the fact that swiftly dispatching a fielder to cow corner is as much a part of village cricket as curly sandwiches and in-fighting.
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Over 26: Munaf 0-1-0-1-1-1
120-2 - Munaf seems to have settled into a job as a containing medium-pacer. Not what he dreamed of as a youngster, I'll wager, but he's dragging back his figures a bit.
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Over 25: Yuvraj 1-0-0-0-1-0
116-2 - Good over from Yuvraj. Just a couple of singles coming from it and more stunning work from Raina in the covers backing up the bowler's efforts.
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Over 24: Munaf 0-0-2-2-0-0
114-2 - Decision for Dhoni after that much-needed wicket: go for the kill, or try and sneak some Munaf in without too much punishment. He opts for the latter.
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Cow's That?
"I have asked so many of my friends who where does the term "cow corner" emanate from and how come it came to be called this but none of them could answer my question!" writes Ebrahim from Cape Town. "Could you please let me know so that I can in turn educate my cricket playing buddies?" Good question. Can't say I've ever heard a definitive answer. Always assumed it was a somewhat snooty reference to the agricultural nature of shots that end there. Either that or it comes from a ground that literally had a legendary cow leaning over the boundary rope at deep midwicket. Anyone out there know the real etymology of the term? Or at least have a better theory than my frankly rubbish one? Mails to Dave.Tickner@bskyb.com please.
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Over 23: Yuvraj 1-1-1-2-W-0
110-2 WICKET! Soft dismissal. Haddin looking to kick on after passing 50 but slices an attempted drive to cover where Raina takes a smart catch tumbling forward. Timely breakthrough for India with Haddin looking increasingly secure and fluent. Michael Clarke the new batsman, straight away using his feet to the spinner but content to defend on this occasion.
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Over 22: Munaf 1-0-0-4-0-0
105-1 - Haddin almost lazily plonks Munaf over midwicket for four to reach an impressive half-century. The speed gun clocked that delivery at 138km/h, and thus I can only assume it's being operated by a member of Munaf's immediate family.
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Over 21: Yuvraj 0-0-3-0-1-1
100-1 - Yuvraj changes ends to replace Harbhajan but drags down a couple of long-hops here. Harbhajan himself saves a run with a superb diving stop on the cover boundary as Ponting cuts hard in front of square before a couple of single bring up Australia's hundred.
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Over 20: Munaf 0-4-1-0-0-1
95-1 - Munaf back, and soon gives up another boundary. With Dhoni up to the stumps, Ponting almost takes the ball out of the keeper's gloves to dab the ball away fine for four. Lovely shot.
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Over 19: Harbhajan 1-0-1-0-0-1
89-1 - Ponting looking quick on his feet as he and Haddin remain content to deal in singles against the better bowlers.
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Poised
Fascinatingly poised at Drinks. This innings very much the undercard to set up the main event when India's batsmen take on the Aussie pace attack. And that, I promise, is the last low-quality boxing analogy of the day. Keep your mails coming to Dave.Tickner@bskyb.com
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Over 18: Yuvraj 0-4-2-4-0-0
86-1 - Australia have seemingly identified their bowlers to target today, and their names are Munaf and Yuvraj. Ponting hammers two boundaries in three balls as he skips down the track to go over midwicket before hammering a sweep shot all along the ground through square-leg.
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Over 17: Harbhajan 0-1-0-0-1-0wd-1
76-1 - Harbhajan comes round the wicket and lures Ponting into an unwise cut shot at a ball far too straight for the shot. He then almost bowls the Aussie skipper round his legs but instead is wided.
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Over 16: Yuvraj 0-1-0-0-1-0
72-1 - Kevin Pietersen's pie-chucking nemesis Yuvraj Singh into the attack with Patel hammered out of it quick smart. A tidy enough over from the left-armer, the highligh of which is undoubtedly a wonderful piece of fielding from Suresh Raina at cover. He dives full length to grab the ball before bouncing back to his feet and throwing down the stumps. Ponting got back safely, but still splendid work from the fielder.
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Over 15: Harbhajan 1-1-1-1-0-0wd-0
70-1 - After Haddin's calculated assault on Patel in the last over, steady nurdling accumulation against Harbhajan. Canny cricket from Australia on a slow, dry pitch. The problem for them, you feel, will come later when their pace-dominated attack tries to get to work on a pitch built for spinners.
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Over 14: Munaf 1-4-4-0-0-4
65-1 - India's problems highlighted here. After Zaheer and the spinners have kept a reasonable lid on things, back-up seamer Munaf Patel is instantly targeted by Haddin who slaps successive boundaries down the ground - the second of them an almost entirely theoretical catching chance for the bowler - before coming down the track to clobber the last ball over cow corner. Good batting from Haddin: he knows Munaf's the weak link and refused to let him settle.
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Fact of the day
Australia scored 92% of their runs during the first powerplay on the legside. Another one of those, same time tomorrow.
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Over 13: Harbhajan 0-0-0-2-1-0
52-1 - Zaheer once again called into action in the field. Not one of your modern, athletic fast bowlers, Zaheer. This time he manages to lumber round the boundary to successfully cut off Ponting's leg glance but not before the batsmen complete two runs to take Australia past 50.
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Over 12: Ashwin 0-0-1-1-2-4
49-1 - Haddin swings Ashwin down to long-leg for a single before Ponting gets off the mark with a push through the covers. A controlled drive brings Haddin two more runs, before an uncontrolled one brings four as he just manages to clear Zaheer at mid-off.
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Over 11: Harbhajan 0-0-0-1-0-0
41-1 - Haddin takes a single to bring Ponting on strike for the first time, and Dhoni's on the attack. No close catchers required by the rules in the second powerplay, but slip and leg-slip are in place for Australia's under-pressure skipper.
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Powerplay
India take the bowling powerplay.
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Over 10: Ashwin 0-0-1-0-0-W
40-1 WICKET! Change of ends for Ashwin brings the desired result as Watson tries to sweep a ball that spins back enough to knock back the off pole. Not a shot Watson misses too often, but he got that one wrong. India needed that wicket; Australia weren't exactly getting away from them but were setting a decent platform.
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Over 9: Harbhajan 0-0-0-0-0-2
39-0 - One offie for another as Harbhajan replaces Ashwin. Slip and leg-slip in place, with the latter called into action as a run-saver to cut off Watson's leg glance from a sharply-spinning delivery. Really good opening over this from Harbhajan on a pitch offering turn. But only if you pitch the ball, which Harbhajan fails to do with ball six and thus allows Watson to work the ball into the legside for two. Slightly spoils things, but it's still the first over since Zaheer's first not to include a boundary.
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Over 8: Zaheer 0-4-0-0-0-1
37-0 - Round the wicket not working particularly well for Zaheer. He tries a little off-cutter here, but Watson picks it pretty quickly and hits it away hard over square-leg for four. Decent start this for Australia with boundaries coming just a little bit too easily for Dhoni's liking on a dry pitch that looks to have a little something in it for the bowlers. Dodgy single from the final ball of the over, and I reckon Haddin would've been struggling with a direct hit.
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Over 7: Ashwin 1-1-0-6-0-0
32-0 - Haddin joins in the fun with a huge six over midwicket. Wonderful shot, made even better by the fact the ball from Ashwin spun quite sharply and kicked up a puff of dust as it pitched.
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Over 6: Zaheer 1-0-0-0-4-0
24-0 - Zaheer coming round the wicket, which is a tad unusual with the new ball. Usually a tactic he employs when the older ball is reversing. Wonder if he's got that warning for running down the pitch in his mind or it's purely and simply a desire not to give either of these batsmen room outside the off stump. That's an understandable plan, but the problem with that is that you free up the onside, as Watson shows here by whipping a ball from a middle-and-off line through midwicket for another really classy boundary. Watto must've miscounted, though, hitting the boundary off the fifth ball of the over rather than the last on this occasion. Poor.
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Obviously
"It doesn't matter who wins this game," points out Shaun Tiley, "As there will be nothing that can withstand the might of England."
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Over 5: Ashwin 0-0-1-0-0-4
19-0 - Watson already looking superb here, but the same cannot be said of a jumpy Haddin. Another unconvincing hoik to leg brings a single before Watson ends the over with a good, strong proper shot biffed straight back past the bowler.
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Over 4: Zaheer 0-0-0-1-0-4
14-0 - A rare gift from Zaheer, and Watson politely accepts by flicking the leg-stump half-volley to the square-leg boundary with withering power.
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Over 3: Ashwin 0-1-0-0-0-4
9-0 - Umpire Marais Erasmus had a word with Zaheer Khan at the end of that over for running down the wicket. Looked like an official warning - Dhoni was involved - so the officials taking no nonsense. Watson hits his first boundary with a typically muscular slog-sweep hit safely out of the reach of Harbhajan Singh at cow corner.
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Prediction
"India will win this one comfortably," states Tom with unshakeable confidence. "The Aussies are a spent force at the highest level and won't be able to handle the Indian spinners. My prediction: if Australia reach 220 they will have done well. India to win by 8 wickets with 10 overs to spare..."
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Over 2: Zaheer 0-1-0-0-0-0
4-0 - India's pace attack Zaheer Khan shares the new ball and starts impressively. He goes past Watson's outside edge with a beauty and gives up just a single in his opening over. Good start for India.
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Battle Royale
Mahendra: "As Australia is batting first, as always is the case whatever be the pitch condition - which is very positive aspect, I am certainly looking forward to see how Aussie batsmen plan/shape up their innings - especially considering the W.I. batting debacle of just yesterday. If Aussies succeed in putting out a good total between 250-300, pressure will be on India under lights. Assies should bat sensibly. Ad during India's batting no need to say - ROYAL battle between India's feared batting line up Vs. Aussies feared fast bowling attack and s time they do have David Hussey sparing with Krejza for variety and to break the monotonous situation."
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Over 1: Ashwin 0-0-1-0wd-0-1-0
3-0 - Ravichandran Ashwin opens the bowling. Absolutely no shock to see India open with a spinner given a) their bobbins seam attack and b) Australia's ongoing problems against the twirlers. Eye-catching turn for Ashwin in his first over on a dry pitch, but he gets too much on one occasion and is wided as the ball spins down the legside. A slightly desperate hoik to leg gets Brad Haddin off the mark after Shane Watson picks up an altogether steadier single.
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Magic
Good email here from Sreekanth. Have to say I agree with him: "After looking into this Indian team, after a serious analysis both in this tournament and as a whole, I am not totally convinced. I feel that something is missing and I am not talking about the bowling or fielding. Some kind of magic, which used to be there in the previous world-dominating Australian team and most important point is that they themselves know that something is missing which is dangerous to their world cup health. I hope they put that out off their minds."
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Atmosphere
You'll be shocked to learn that the stadium is packed and the noise levels rising by the minute.
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Anthems
The players are out in the middle for the anthems. Nearly time to go!
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Prizefighters
However tantalising the prospect of this match may be, I can't quite buy into the "Shoulda been the final" talk that has permeated the build-up. Heavyweights they may be, but Australia are an ageing champion who, while they still have the devastating one-punch power are no longer as fleet on their feet as they once were and do India, an elegant stylist with all the tools and tricks, have the welly to land the knockout blow? Pretty tortured metaphor there, but there it is. Sorry about that. Thoughts, predictions, rants and raves to Dave.Tickner@bskyb.com throughout the game please. Always good to get a debate going.
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India
SR Tendulkar, V Sehwag, G Gambhir, V Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (c,wk), SK Raina, R Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, MM Patel
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Australia
BJ Haddin (wk), SR Watson, RT Ponting (c), MJ Clarke, CL White, MEK Hussey, DJ Hussey, MG Johnson, B Lee, JJ Krejza, SW Tait
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Teams
One change for each side. Australia wisely decide two Husseys are better than one and add David to their middle-order in place of Steve Smith. For India, Virender Sehwag returns at the top of the order with big-hitting all-rounder Yusuf Pathan the man to make way.
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Toss
The increasingly angry and confused Australia captain Ricky Ponting makes a good start to his day as he wins the toss and chooses to bat first. That's better for the theatre of the day, seeing as this game could simplistically but understandably be billed as a clash between India's sparkling batting against Australia's fast bowling.
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Morning everyone
As England basks in the annual cruelty of a three-day March heatwave that sparks idle daydreams of a summer of sunshine and centuries, neither of which will transpire, the World Cup really takes off today with easily the most eye-catching of the quarter-finals as two heavyweights - flawed heavyweights for sure, but heavyweights nonetheless - clash in Ahmdedabad. This should be good.
