MOHALI, India, (Reuters) – Medium-pacers Doug Bollinger and Shane Watson grabbed three wickets apiece to inspire Australia to a 24-run win in the fourth one-dayer against India yesterday to level the series 2-2.
Sachin Tendulkar was trapped lbw for 40 by spinner Nathan Hauritz with India, chasing 251 for victory, well placed on 94 for two and Australia turned the game around in determined fashion.
Left-armer Bollinger dismissed Mahendra Singh Dhoni (26), having sent back explosive opener Virender Sehwag (30) and Virat Kohli (10) in his first spell.
Man of the match Watson, who also smashed 49 with the bat, then sent back the free-hitting Harbhajan Singh (31), Praveen Kumar (16) and Ashish Nehra (7) as the home team were bowled out for 226 in 46.4 overs.
FLYING START
Sehwag lashed seven fours to give India a flying start but Australia clawed their way back into the game after Tendulkar was removed seven runs short of 17,000 in One-dayers although TV replays suggested the ball would have missed off-stump.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting also chipped in by running out dangerman Yuvraj Singh (12) and Ravindra Jadeja (7).
“The target was gettable, the wicket was good and there was dew out there but we needed to bat 50 overs and didn’t,” said India captain Dhoni at the prize-giving ceremony.
Earlier, Ponting (52) hit his third half-century of the series and Cameron White struck 62 as Australia were bowled out for 250 after being asked to bat first in the day-night game.
Ponting put on 64 for the second wicket with Watson before the skipper became one of four run-out victims in the innings.
In-form Michael Hussey (40) shared a 73-run stand with White for the fourth wicket but the visitors lost their last seven batsmen for 54 runs.
“We lost a few wickets leading up to our powerplay again and that’s been a bit of a problem for us through the series,” said Ponting. “But the boys bowled exceptionally well tonight.”
The fifth game in the seven-match series is in Hyderabad on Thursday.
SCOREBOARD
Australia innings
S. Watson c Dhoni b Harbhajan 49
S. Marsh lbw b Nehra 5
R. Ponting run out 52
C. White run out 62
M. Hussey c Ishant b Yuvraj 40
M. Henriques st Dhoni b Harbhajan 6
M. Johnson b Nehra 8
G. Manou run out 7
N. Hauritz not out 9
P. Siddle c Jadeja b Nehra 1
D. Bollinger run out 0
Extras: (lb-1, w-9, nb-1) 11
Total: (all out, 49.2 overs) 250
Fall of wickets: 1-24 2-88 3-123 4-196 5-217 6-226 7-236 8-241 9-247
Bowling: Kumar 9.2-0-41-0 (w-4), Nehra 8-0-37-3 (nb-1, w-1), Ishant 5-0-42-0 (w-1), Jadeja 7-0-27-0, Harbhajan 10-0-48-2 (w-2), Yuvraj 10-0-54-1 (w-1).
India innings
V. Sehwag c Watson b Bollinger 30
S. Tendulkar lbw b Hauritz 40
V. Kohli c Manou b Bollinger 10
Y. Singh run out 12
M. Dhoni c Manou b Bollinger 26
S. Raina b Hauritz 17
R. Jadeja run out 7
H. Singh c & b Watson 31
P. Kumar c Manou b Watson 16
A. Nehra c Hauritz b Watson 7
I. Sharma not out 3
Extras: (b-1, lb-5, w-20, nb-1) 27
Total: (all out, 46.4 overs) 226
Fall of wickets: 1-40 2-78 3-94 4-113 5-145 6-156 7-177 8-204 9-217
Bowling: Johnson 9-0-74-0 (w-6), Siddle 5-2-15-0, Bollinger 9-2-38-3 (nb-1, w-1), Henriques 7-0-33-0 (w-1), Hauritz 9-1-31-2 (w-4), Watson 7.4-1-29-3
