India keen to exploit Australia's middle order batting woes

SYDNEY: India will seek to exploit the batting slump of some of Australia's key batsmen when they clash with the world champions in the first of the best-of- three cricket tri-series finals on Sunday.

Australia's batting has been their Achilles' heels with their middle order, notably captain Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds, coming a cropper against the subcontinental rivals in the league stage.

Apart from the century he scored in Australia's last game against India, Ponting has been carrying the form slump from the Test series while Symonds has notched up only one half century in eight matches.

Matthew Hayden, who was recently reprimanded by his Board for calling Harbhajan Singh a 'little obnoxious weed' has also not fired at the top, having scored just one half century and one in the 40s in the seven outings he has played in the tri-series.

This is a perfect setting for a confident young Indian side to cash in on their rival's weak point and hope to put it across the home team.

Never in the 30-year-old history of the triangular series have Indians managed even a solitary win in the finals against the hosts.

India's three previous experiences, in 1985-86, 1991-92 and 2003-04, had resulted in straight drubbings but Australia's slipshod form this season promises a turn for the better for the Indians.