Pandey ton helps India avoid whitewash

Pandey hit an unbeaten 104 and opener Rohit Sharma fell short of a third hundred in Australia by just on run as India romped home by six wickets chasing 331 for win with two balls to spare. 

Pandey hit eight fours and a six in his 81ball innings. Shikhar Dhawan cracked a quick 78 from 69 balls with seven fours and three sixes. Dhoni gave adequate support to Manish Pandey with 34.  Earlier, Indian bowlers’ horrendous run Down Under continued as Australia rode on centuries from Mitchell Marsh and David Warner in another dominant batting display to pile up 330 for seven. 

Chasing a 5-0 whitewash, Australian looked on course for more but for the last two overs from debutant Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma, which got them just seven runs in an inconsequential match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Opener Warner laid the foundation with 122 off 113 balls, while Marsh remained unbeaten on a brisk 102 off 84 deliveries after India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni asked the home team to take first strike. This was the fourth time in the series Australia crossed the 300-plus mark, and Marsh’s maiden ton in this format. Warner struck nine fours and three sixes, while found the fence nine times and cleared it twice. 

Australia lost last match’s centurion Aaron Finch in the first over to Ishant, following which Warner shared a half-century stand with the in-form skipper Steve Smith. Smith’s dismissal to Bumrah, his maiden wicket, was followed quickly by those of George Bailey and Shaun Marsh.Warner then steadied the ship by putting on a valuable 118 runs for the fifth wicket with Marsh at just seven runs an over. 

Having completed his century, a tired-looking Warner got out while trying to slash Ishant, managing to give a catch to an agile Ravindra Jadeja.Then came another crucial partnership of 85 runs for the sixth wicket between Marsh and Matthew Wade (36 off 27 balls), paving the way for another big total by the home side that has already chased down two 300-plus totals in the series so far.

AJ Finch lbw I Sharma 6  

DA Warner c Jadeja b Sharma 122  

SPD Smith* c R Sharma b Bumrah 28 

GJ Bailey c Sharma b R Dhawan 6  

SE Marsh run out 7  

MR Marsh not out 102  

MS Wade c Dhoni b Yadav 36  

JP Faulkner b Bumrah 1  

JW Hastings not out 2  

Extras (b 4, lb 7, w 8, nb 1) 20  

Total (7 wickets; 50 overs) 330   

Fall of wickets 1-6, 2-64 , 3-78, 4-117, 5-235, 6-320, 7-323

I Sharma 10-0-60-2, UT Yadav 8-0-82-1, JJ Bumrah 10-0-40-2, R Dhawan 10-0-74-1, RA Jadeja 10-0-46-0, Gurkeerat Singh 2-0-17-0

INDIA  

RG Sharma c Wade b Hastings 99  

S Dhawanc SE Marsh b Hastings 78  

V Kohli c †Wade b Hastings 8  

MK Pandey not out 104  

MS Dhoni c Warner b MR Marsh  34   

Gurkeerat not out 0  

Extras (lb-3,w 5) 8  

Total (4 wickets; 49.4 overs) 331  

Fall of wickets 1-123, 2-134, 3-231, 4-325   

JW Hastings 10-1-61-3, SM Boland 10-0-58-0, MR Marsh 9.4-0-77-1, JP Faulkner 10-0-54-0,  NM Lyon 8-0-58-0, SPD Smith 2-0-20-0