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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Aussies beat India to reach semis | Aussies beat India to reach semis |
| (4 days later) | |
| Australia cruised to an easy victory against India to book their place in the Champions Trophy semi-finals and knock the hosts out of the tournament. | Australia cruised to an easy victory against India to book their place in the Champions Trophy semi-finals and knock the hosts out of the tournament. |
| Ricky Ponting's side won by six wickets after racing to their target of 250 with four overs to spare in Mohali. | Ricky Ponting's side won by six wickets after racing to their target of 250 with four overs to spare in Mohali. |
| India compiled a modest 249-8 with Virender Sehwag scoring 65 and Rahul Dravid adding 52 off 63 balls. | India compiled a modest 249-8 with Virender Sehwag scoring 65 and Rahul Dravid adding 52 off 63 balls. |
| But Australia's batting was too strong as Ponting (58), Shane Watson (50) and Damien Martyn (73 not out) starred. | But Australia's batting was too strong as Ponting (58), Shane Watson (50) and Damien Martyn (73 not out) starred. |
| href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/video_and_audio/help_guide/4304501.stm"> Interview: Australia skipper Ricky Ponting | |
| Australia will play New Zealand in Wednesday's semi-final in Mohali, while South Africa take on West Indies in Jaipur on Thursday. | Australia will play New Zealand in Wednesday's semi-final in Mohali, while South Africa take on West Indies in Jaipur on Thursday. |
| The last time there was no presence from a sub-continental country in the last four of a major tournament was the 1975 World Cup. | The last time there was no presence from a sub-continental country in the last four of a major tournament was the 1975 World Cup. |
| 606: DEBATE Surely Australia have to be the favourites now RD 606: Have your say | 606: DEBATE Surely Australia have to be the favourites now RD 606: Have your say |
| Australia's openers Adam Gilchrist and Watson launched the reply with a stand of 61 before wicket-keeper Gilchrist fell for 23 from 24 balls. | Australia's openers Adam Gilchrist and Watson launched the reply with a stand of 61 before wicket-keeper Gilchrist fell for 23 from 24 balls. |
| Watson and Ponting took Australia through the 100-mark in just 14 overs and added 50 before Watson, who needed Gilchrist as a runner after suffering from cramp,was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Dinesh Mongia. | Watson and Ponting took Australia through the 100-mark in just 14 overs and added 50 before Watson, who needed Gilchrist as a runner after suffering from cramp,was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Dinesh Mongia. |
| Ponting eventually fell to a Sachin Tendulkar catch in the slips off seamer Shanthakumaran Sreesanth but Martyn, Andrew Symonds (20) and Michael Clarke (2 not out), had the luxury of guiding the Australians home. | Ponting eventually fell to a Sachin Tendulkar catch in the slips off seamer Shanthakumaran Sreesanth but Martyn, Andrew Symonds (20) and Michael Clarke (2 not out), had the luxury of guiding the Australians home. |
| Sehwag laid the early foundations with 65 for India | Sehwag laid the early foundations with 65 for India |
| India's total was modest given the state of the pitch, and though they batted carefully, they were unable to hit top gear, with Australia taking wickets at the right times. | India's total was modest given the state of the pitch, and though they batted carefully, they were unable to hit top gear, with Australia taking wickets at the right times. |
| Veteran seamer Glenn McGrath was the pick of the Australian attack with 2-34 off 10, while fellow paceman Brett Lee, expensive in his first spell, fought back superbly for 2-54 and Nathan Bracken finished with 2-56. | Veteran seamer Glenn McGrath was the pick of the Australian attack with 2-34 off 10, while fellow paceman Brett Lee, expensive in his first spell, fought back superbly for 2-54 and Nathan Bracken finished with 2-56. |
| India won the toss and Tendulkar and Sehwag began promisingly with a stand of 46 before Tendulkar, who took 13 balls to get off the mark, edged McGrath behind to Gilchrist for 10. | India won the toss and Tendulkar and Sehwag began promisingly with a stand of 46 before Tendulkar, who took 13 balls to get off the mark, edged McGrath behind to Gilchrist for 10. |
| Mongia and Sehwag built on the good work but were foiled after a stand of 43 when Mongia edged Watson to Michael Hussey at slip for 18. | Mongia and Sehwag built on the good work but were foiled after a stand of 43 when Mongia edged Watson to Michael Hussey at slip for 18. |
| India's run rate slowed as Australia shuffled their bowlers, changing the angle of attack, but Sehwag crafted 37 with Dravid before he was trapped lbw by Mitchell Johnson in the 29th over. | India's run rate slowed as Australia shuffled their bowlers, changing the angle of attack, but Sehwag crafted 37 with Dravid before he was trapped lbw by Mitchell Johnson in the 29th over. |
| Dravid kept the scoreboard ticking in a stand of 60 with Mohammad Kaif (30) before holing out to Clarke at mid-wicket off Lee. | Dravid kept the scoreboard ticking in a stand of 60 with Mohammad Kaif (30) before holing out to Clarke at mid-wicket off Lee. |
| And two overs later, Lee, who was back on song after conceding 43 runs in his first six-over spell, ripped through Kaif's middle stump. | And two overs later, Lee, who was back on song after conceding 43 runs in his first six-over spell, ripped through Kaif's middle stump. |
| India tried to hit the accelerator but Suresh Raina was caught in the deep by Watson off Nathan Bracken for 13 after adding 27 runs with Mahendra Dhoni. | India tried to hit the accelerator but Suresh Raina was caught in the deep by Watson off Nathan Bracken for 13 after adding 27 runs with Mahendra Dhoni. |
| McGrath struck again late on to remove Irfan Pathan (10), caught by Martyn, and Dhoni was out lbw to Bracken with the last ball for 28. | McGrath struck again late on to remove Irfan Pathan (10), caught by Martyn, and Dhoni was out lbw to Bracken with the last ball for 28. |