Australia beats India, equals world record

Andrew Symonds was adjudged the man-of-the-match for his stupendous overall performances. The belligerent batsman scored an unbeaten 162 and 61 in the two innings and followed up with a three-wicket haul in the significant fourth innings.

The visitors’ captain Anil Kumble was stranded unbeaten on 45 while tailenders at the other end succumbed to high-pressure bowling from fired up part-time spinners Michael Clarke (3/5) and Andrew Symonds (3/51) who coupled to trouble the Indians on a crumbling pitch.

Amidst an electric atmospsher at the SCG, the Indians had to fend out only seven more deliveries, until ‘Pup’ got Ishant Sharma to nick one to ‘Mr. Cricket’ Michael Hussey at first slip, the southpaw who smashed an unbeaten 145 earlier in the day.

Brett Lee got Wasim Jaffer at the stroke of lunch and Stuart Clark removed both VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar before tea as Australia sniffed an opportunity of a win as India slumped to 54-3 before Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid prevented any further inroads.

The duo of Dravid (38) and Ganguly (51) put on a partnership of 61 runs for the fourth-wicket until the former was out dismissed caught by Gilchrist off Symonds. The flamboyant Yuvraj Singh (0) was the man to follow, who continued his poor run in the series in a replication of Dravid’s dismissal.

The dismissal of Yuvraj brought vice-captain and wicket-keeper MS Dhoni to the crease. The dazzling player looked positive from the word go, although, played a patient knock of 45 runs to prolong the Indian battle.

In what was possibly the turning point, Ganguly (51) edged a Brett Lee delivery to Clarke at second slip. The dismissal brought the gritty Indian captain Anil Kumble to the crease, who scuffled and added 70 runs for the seventh-wicket with his deputy Dhoni.

The decisive stand was ended by Symonds, when Dhoni shuffled around his crease and was trapped LBW to leave the Indians tottering at 185/7 with a further maximum of 10 overs to bat out.

The Clarke showThe blond-haired and blue-eyed ‘prodigy’ of Australian cricket cleaned up the Indian tail within 5 deliveries in the 70th over of the second innings. Harbhajan Singh (7), RP Singh (0) and Ishant Sharma (0) were his victims – giving the hosts the historic victory.

Australia and India will continue to battle in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from December 16 at the W.A.C.A in Perth.

**SummaryAustralia:**463 & 401 for 7 declared; India: 532 & 210 in 70.5 overs (Sourav Ganguly 51, Anil Kumble 45 not out; Michael Clarke 3-5, Andrew Symonds 3-51).