http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 vs. Australia, 2nd ODI: Verat Kohli Stars in Impressive 5-Wicket Win for India
The young Indian batting brigade once again proved that they have the capability to take their team to a World Cup win next year as they scored an impressive win over World Champions http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 in the second ODI of the three-match
series at Vishakhapatnam.
Verat Kohli was the hero and he found great support from Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh, who was the most experienced batsman in the line-up.
Kohli amassed a hundred to lead his team to the target that at one time looked beyond the hosts, especially after the loss of two early wickets.
Earlier in the day, the Australians recovered brilliantly from a poor start of their own to rattle an imposing total on a batting track at the ACAVDCA Cricket Stadium.
The Aussies lost opener Shaun Marsh and Tim Paine cheaply; both youngsters attempted big shots yet only succeeded in losing their wickets as the Indian opening bowlers Ashish Nehra and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Praveen-Kumar-c82600 tightened the noose around
them.
Shaun Marsh (0) dragged a ball for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashish-Nehra-c46293 onto his stumps, while the left armer also accounted for Paine (9 runs off 24 balls) as he attempted to hit him over the inner circle and ended up offering a simple catch to
the fielder positioned at mid-on (Vinay Kumar).
The Australians recovered through a brilliant counterattack by captain Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey.
Hussey scored 69 runs with the help of 7 fours; he added 144 runs with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ravichandran-Ashwin-c84208.
Hussey was dismissed in the 37th over of the innings, with the team total on 160/3.
The Australians were in a need of quick runs if they were to set a challenging total in near perfect batting conditions.
They got the answer through the big hitting Cameron White, who was in scintillating form. The right-hander tore into the inexperienced Indian bowling line-up that had little answers to his onslaught.
White started depositing the ball into the stands at will as the run rate motored along in the last few overs of the innings.
In the meanwhile, Clarke completed a highly impressive hundred with the help of 7 fours; White propelled his team to 289 by taking 23 runs of the final over of the innings bowled by Vinay Kumar.
White remained unbeaten on 89 off a mere 49 balls; he clubbed 6 sixes and an equal number of fours in an astonishing attack on the Indian bowlers.
The Indian reply also got off to a poor start: newcomer http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Murali-Vijay-c78035 (15 off 18 balls) were sent packing with the total on 35 runs.
The hosts then replied positively through Yuvraj Singh and Kohli, who took full advantage of an extremely inexperienced Australian attack that included two debutants.
Yuvraj Singh perished after completing his half century; he was bowled by Clint McKay for 58 runs compiled off 87 balls.
Kohli continued on his run-making ways at the other end; the right hander kept finding the odd boundary to keep the run-rate in check.
He found a more than able ally in Suresh Raina, who played some typically aggressive shots; he added 84 runs with Kohli, who reached three figures in the process.
Kohli fell in the 44th over of the innings with the score on 256; he himself contributed 118 runs off a mere 121 balls.
His innings included 11 fours and one six; he was dismissed by debutant seamer John Hastings, who also accounted for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028 in the same over to send some chills down the spine of the Indian camp.
However, the fluent Suresh Raina was composed at the other end and saw the hosts home with newcomer Saurabh Tiwary (12 off 17 balls) for company.
Raina was unbeaten on 71 (off 47 balls) as the hosts completed a win in the last over of their innings. Kohli was named man-of-the-match.
Tags: