Indian spinners restrict Australia to 229 for five

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NEW DELHI - Indian spinners got good purchase from the slow track at the Ferozeshah Kotla to restrict Australia to 229 for five in 50 overs in the third one-day international here Saturday.

Michael Hussey struck 81 off 82 balls with three fours and a six, while skipper Ricky Ponting, opening the innings for the second time in his career, took 92 balls for his 59.

Indian slow bowlers did a good job, completely dominating the middle overs. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who had been impressive in the first two matches, was the pick of the bowlers taking two for 41 in nine overs while Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina picked up a wicket each.

Australia got off to a decent start through Ponting and Shane Watson (41) as the duo added 72 runs for the opening wicket. But once slow bowlers started operating from both ends it became tough for the visitors and they lost the plot in the middle overs.

Ponting did not think twice before opting to bat after winning the toss, the Nagpur mauling fresh on his mind. Ponting had to open the innings after regular opener Tim Paine had to fly back home with a fractured finger. His replacement Graham Manou had joined the team Friday night.

Ponting and Watson made a watchful start on the slow wicket that had dished out low-scoring Twenty20 matches in the Champions League.

Medium-pacer Praveen Kumar, opening the spell, bowled a tight line giving only 10 runs in four overs.

But Ponting looked at ease against Ishant Sharma and Ashish Nehra. He punched Nehra through the cover for a classy four and then again pulled the left-arm pacer through the mid-wicket boundary.

But slowly Ponting went into a shell and Watson accelerated after making a slow start. The two added 72 runs before Watson was dismissed by a smart piece of stumping by Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Yuvraj.

Ponting and Hussey were then tied down by the Indian spinners as they relied on singles while the boundaries dried up.

In the 18th over India had a major injury scare when Gautam Gambhir, fielding at short leg was struck on his neck as he tried to evade a pull from Ponting. Gambhir was immediately taken out for a medical attention.

Jadeja was rewarded for maintaining a steady line when he trapped Ponting leg before.

Raina got an inside edge off Cameron White’s bat as Austraia slumped to 129 for three. But Hussey played a responsible innings as Australia put up a challenging total.

Harbhajan, who was the talking point before the match for not being able to take wickets in the middle overs, dismiss Adam Voges (17) caught by Praveen in the deep.

Australia took their batting powerplay in the 45th over, but India conceded only 36 runs in the last five overs.