Shane Watson sets the pace

The match started with a maiden. Silence before a storm that absolutely blew India out of its way. Six-hitting has seldom been made to look easier: Shane Watson just kept clearing their front legs, creating room, and kept lofting the Indians over various parts of the Kensington Oval. Finding gaps and all he and David Warner didn't care about. Between them they hit 13 sixes and only three fours, and by the time they were done, 142 runs had been scored in 14 overs.

The same ample and true bounce that hurt India worked for Watson. That the ball came on, coupled with the short boundaries, gave him the confidence to go for his big hits. Ravindra Jadeja was the one who paid the most. The subdued start that Watson got off to against Harbhajan, the maiden over, would have given Dhoni false confidence. After facing seven consecutive dot balls first up, he just exploded, pulling Ashish Nehra way over long-on for six. The template had been set. He just sat back, took the leading leg out of the way, and hardly hit anything off anywhere but the middle of the bat.

Jadeja contributed to the onslaught, bowling short repeatedly, and Watson brutalised him over midwicket, cow corner and square leg. By the time Jadeja came back, in the 10th over, Australia had consolidated on the start, Zaheer Khan had looked ineffective, and Warner had warmed up, reaching 29 off 25 with Watson on 47 off 29. Warner hit a hat-trick of sixes too. Both the barrels had started firing, and we were in for a contest as to who would hit more sixes.

Watson, already ahead by one, hit Yusuf Pathan for another big one in the next over, but was bowled immediately after by a delivery that kept low. Warner ended up with one six more than Warner, but it was Watson who set the pace.