For the third time in as many games, the much-fancied Indian top-order failed to click. They failed to chase a modest target of 214.
KUALA LUMPUR: Good news first. India found an unlikely hero in Dinesh Mongia. Back in the team after 18 months, the left-handed all-rounder remained unconquered. He soaked up the pressure, stood steadfast as wickets fell around him and weathered Brett Lee. Bad news is that he ran out of partners.
For the third time in as many games, the much-fancied Indian top-order failed to click. On Friday, they failed to chase a modest target of 214 and got knocked-out of the series. The defeat has reiterated the team’s status as bad tourists.
Virender Sehwag left his footwork in the nets as Lee found a gaping hole in his defence. Sachin Tendulkar perished to a Lee delivery that moved away. Rahul Dravid, who batted at No.4, was trapped in front by Stuart Clark and Mohd Kaif hit back to the same bowlers to put him on a hat-trick.
Suresh Raina and Mongia put India on the road to recovery before the former left. Mongia, in the company of MS Dhoni, continued the revival to put pressure on the Australians with a 64-run partnership but once Dhoni was dismissed, the writing was on the wall.
Mongia had to shield the bowlers from a barrage of 90 mile thunderbolts from Lee as the asking was shooting up. Lee struck twice in the 44th over to settle the issue. He picked up five wickets, a performance that overshadowed the good work by the Indian bowlers earlier.
Australia had to depend on a 77-run partnership between wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and all-rounder Hogg for the seventh wicket to tide over the crisis.
Ajit Agarkar and Munaf Patel got early breakthroughs and then stifled the Australian batsmen as they made the new ball count. Australia were reeling at 117 for six.
Harbhajan Singh produced a spell during which runs came in a trickle and wickets fell. He was well supported by Mongia.
Mongia, filling in for Yuvraj, didn’t look out of depth. Rather, his teammates at the top of the order looked shaken. It’s back to nets for Dravid & Co.
Scoreboard
Australia
M Hayden run out 54 ;S Katich c Raina b Agarkar 9; R Ponting c Agarkar b Patel 4;
D Martyn run out 19; A Symonds lbw b Mongia 2 ;M Hussey c Dravid b H Singh 13;
B Haddin c Dhoni b RP Singh 46 ; B Hogg run out 38; B Lee c Sehwag b RP Singh 7;
S Clark b Agarkar 2; G McGrath not out 0
Extras (lb-6 nb-4 w-9) 19
Total (all out, 48.1 overs) 213
Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-49, 3-87, 4-97, 5-97, 6-117, 7-194, 8-208, 9-213, 10-213
Bowling: A Agarkar 8-0-44-2 (nb-1 w-5); M Patel 9-1-32-1 (w-1); R Singh 9.1-1-43-2 (nb-1 w-2); H Singh 10-2-24-1; D Mongia 9-0-43-1 (nb-1); V Sehwag 3-0-21-0 (nb-1)
India: V Sehwag b Lee 10, S Tendulkar c Hussey b Lee 4, M Kaif c & b Clark 21, R Dravid lbw b Clark 7, D Mongia not out 63, S Raina b Hogg 26, MS Dhoni c Martyn b Lee 23, A Agarkar lbw b Hogg 9, Harbhajan Singh c Haddin b Symonds 0, RP Singh c Hussey b Lee 4, M Patel c Symonds b Lee 1,Extras (lb 7, w 16, nb 4) 27
Total (all out in 43.5 overs) 195
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-20, 3-47, 4-50, 5-96, 6-158, 7-185, 8-186, 9-193
Bowling: B Lee 8.5-0-38-5, G McGrath 8-1-25-0, S Clark 8-0-36-2, A Symonds 9-0-41-1, G Hogg 10-0-48-2
Result: Australia won by 18 runs
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