A belligerent century stand between openers Shaun Marsh (112) and Shane Watson (93) powered an injury-hit Australia to an imposing 350 for four in the fifth cricket ODI against India here today.
Strapping Queensland all-rounder Watson smashed 93 off 89 balls with three sixes and eight fours, while left-handed Western Australian Marsh initially played the second fiddle before stepping up his run-rate to make his first ODI century in his 19th appearance.
The 26-year-old son of former Australian opener Geoff made a run-a-ball 112 with the help of two sixes and eight fours, putting on 145 runs for the first wicket with Watson.
Marsh was out in the slog phase, caught just inside the boundary line off Ashish Nehra.
Skipper Ricky Ponting too chipped in with a run-a-ball 45 and was also involved in a breezy 91-run stand for the second wicket with Marsh in 82 balls to set up the late assault in which the visitors added 105 runs in the last 10 overs, including 58 in the last five.
Cameron White (57 in 33 balls with 5 sixes and 2 fours) and Michael Hussey (31 in 22 balls with 2 sixes and one four) struck lusty blows against the three Indian pacers to lead Australia to their second-highest score against India in ODIs.
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