India storm into final with 170-run victory

After India won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that looked like it would crumble later in the day, openers Manish Sharma and Ravneet Ricky got India off to yet another solid start. Rofe began with a maiden over but after that the Indians began to collar the bowling.

Ricky and Sharma alternated well and struck the ball off the meat of the bat with regularity. The Australians swapped the bowling around a fair bit. It was only when the spinners came on at 59/0 after 12 overs that the Australians could check the scoring rate. O'Brien and Hauritz bowling in tandem kept the Indians quiet for six overs, giving away just 21 runs in that period.

There was not much to choose from in the two openers though Sharma scored his runs a little faster than Ricky. When Sharma notched up his fifty in the 21st over, Ricky was still in the thirties. Ricky then moved into a higher gear and matched Sharma shot for shot. Ricky brought up his fifty soon after.

Just when things were going smoothly for the Indians, a wicket fell against the grain of play. Sharma went after a wide, full delivery from Aaron O' Brien and ended up nicking it to the 'keeper Hartley who took a smart catch. O'Brien picked up his solitary wicket in the last over of his spell, conceding just 24 runs from his 10 overs.

When Sharma's wicket fell, India were on 124. His 65 came of 94 balls and was studded with nine boundaries. The skipper Mohammed Kaif walked out to the wicket to join Ricky who was then on 50. Kaif worked the strike around and fed most of the bowling to Ricky.

At the end of 35 overs, India were motoring along 156/1, with Kaif on 16 and Ricky on 64.

From the 35th over to the 40th, the Indians batted very sensibly and pushed the scoring rate without taking undue risks. Mohammad Kaif found form and stroked the ball into the gaps effortlessly. When the ball was not there for the big shot, Kaif played it down with soft hands and was well backed up by some good running by Ricky.

Ricky who was well set by this time, went after anything that was either slightly overpitched or short and spanked the ball to the boundary.

India brought up the 200 in the 43rd over without much difficulty. Ricky was nearing the three figure mark but did not get bogged down. He continued to strike the ball fluently and used his feet well.

Just two runs later, Kaif was late on a short ball from off spinner Hauritz and ended up chopping it through to Hartley who was once again safe behind the stumps. He snapped up the catch and sent the Indian skipper back to the pavilion after he had made a useful 29 off 34 balls.

Yuvraj Singh then walked into the ground amidst high expectations. He began slowly, tapping the ball into the gaps for a couple of singles. In the very next over, Yuvraj began to dominate, hitting Watson for a huge six over long on. Watson's full toss was picked up and hit cleanly out of the ground. He followed that up with a crisp hit to the midwicket boundary for four. The fireworks had started.

In the next over, the 45th, Yuvraj was once again aggressive, tonking Buchanan for a four and a six. After the 45th over all hell broke loose. Yuvraj Singh began to see the ball very clearly. Too clearly for the Australians' liking. The bowlers rhythm was completely destroyed and they began to deliver fulltoss after to fulltoss to Yuvraj. The lad from Patiala had no trouble in despatching the full tosses to the boudary. More often than not, he hit it clear over the ropes, picking up six instead of four. He brought up easily the fastest fifty of the tournament off only 20 balls, having been at the wicket for just 27 minutes. His innings included five sixes and four boundaries.

Ricky too got into the act and came down the wicket and hit consecutive boundaries through midwicket. In an attempt to boost the already bloated scoring rate, Ricky gave himself room and tried to hit the ball through the off side. Watson had the ball dead on target and when Ricky missed he hit. Ricky's 108 included 12 boundaries and was the backbone of the Indian innings.

Soon after Ricky was dismissed, Yuvraj followed him to the pavilion attempting one lofted shot too many. He was caught in the deep by Marsh off the bowling of Watson. His 58 off 25 balls included five boundaries and five sixes that cleared the ropes with ease.

After the two settled batsmen were dismissed, the Indians lost two quick wickets attempting big shots. However, it made little difference as India posted 284/6, the highest score of the tournament thus far.

When the Australian openers walked out to the middle chasing 285 for victory a lot must have been going through their minds. Shaun Marsh, son of former Australian opener Geoff Marsh, and Edward Cowan got off to a shaky start playing and missing at the Indian medium pacers. Right-arm seamer Mrithyunjay Tripathy got the ball to move around considerably early on, bowling from the Press Box end.

At the other end, Shalab Sriwatsa bowled tidily enough, not giving the Aussies much room to free their arms. In just the fourth over, Tripathy enticed Marsh into an extravagant drive to a ball well wide of the stumps and had him nicking the ball. Stumper Ajay Ratra took a good catch lunging to his left and that was the end of Marsh's essay. Marsh made eight including one boundary. At the end of five overs India had made their first inroads into the Australian batting line up.

While the Australians did not get off to a flyer they were going along well when Cowan made the blunder of hesitating while attempting to run a sharp single. Cowan pushed the ball to extra cover and set off immediately. Seeing that his partner did not respond he hesitated mid pitch. By this time, the non striker had set off for the single and Cowan had to go through. Sensing the possibility of a run out, Ravneet Ricky through the stumps down. The third umpire was pressed into service, but the body language of the Indians suggested that they had got their man. The red light sent Cowan on his way after he had put together 16.

Andrew McDonald breezed in and out of the crease. Shalab Sriwatsa got a ball to move through the air and beat McDonald all ends up. The ball moved just enough to clip the outside edge of the bat. Ajay Ratra was once again impressive behind the stumps as he dove to his left and took a good low catch. Coming off the right hander's outside edge, a combination of the stiff breeze and the effect of the ball clipping the edge sent the ball drifting down the leg side in unusual fashion. Ratra was quick enough to adjust and snap the ball up. At the end of ten overs, Australia were in a bit of strife at 33/3.

It was only some good batting by captain Shane Watson that gave the Aussie innings any respectability. His 38 included some solid drives straight down the wicket. After he was dismissed the Australians lost their way completely and folded up rather tamely. In the 35th over, they folded up for 11 runs. India's 170 victory sees them storm into the finals where they take on the hosts.