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Led by skipper George Bailey’s unbeaten 92, the Australians batted superbly at Jaipur overnight in the second ODI, but India cruised home with 38 balls to spare.
Flogged would be a better description.
The Australians posted a big 5-359 off their 50 overs, more than enough to defend for any attack providing the bowlers concentrated on their job, and stick to basics.
But not the Australian attack.
Let’s start with the 21 wides, inexcusable. Not only the 21 extra runs for nothing, but nearly four extra overs.
Kid’s stuff.
Mitchell Johnson went for 7.55 runs an over, Clint McKay 9.14, Shane Watson 9.40, Xavier Doherty 7, Glenn Maxwell 8.72, and James Faulkner 8,57.
By any standards, that’s utter rubbish.
But take nothing away from the three India batsmen who thrived on the easy pickings – man-of-the-match Rohit Sharma unbeaten on 141 off 123, Virat Kohli unbeaten on 100 off just 52, and Shikhar Dhawan the only man out for 95 off 86.
Between them they smashed 39 fours and 11 sixes – there’s 222 without any running, just stand and deliver.
And deliver they did for the highest successful run-chase chase by India over Australia in history, and the second biggest chase of all time behind South Africa’s 9-438 over Australia in Johannesburg in 2006.
Kohli became the seventh fastest ODI century-maker with master-blaster Shahid Afridi still the fastest with his 37-ball blitz for Pakistan against Sri Lanka at Nairobi in 1996 with 11 boundaries, and six sixes.
Those were the Australian debits last night, the wilful destruction of the well-earned credits.
With runs at a premium for Australia over the last few months, the scoreboard was a great sight.
Aaron Finch 50, Phil Hughes 83, Shane Watson 59, Bailey 92 not out, Maxwell 53, Adam Voges 11, Brad Haddin 1 not out – 5-359, at 7.18 an over.
Out of that:
Hughes is a specialist opener, pure and simple. He must open with Chris Rogers at the Gabba next month in the first Ashes Test as David Warner won’t be there.
Watson can’t get his overall act together, He either gets runs or wickets, but never in the same game.
Johnson has regained his aggression with many deliveries in excess of 150, even if wayward.
And that leaves George Bailey, the most in-form and consistent batsman in the country,
In his last 11 digs, he’s scored 125*, 44, 55, 55, 4, 10*, 82, 87, 4, 85, end 92* for a total of 643 at an average of 80.
The Ashes no. six berth awaits him on his Test debut at the Gabba.
And if Michael Clarke’s dicey back forces him out of the Gabba, George Bailey is the perfect choice to captain Australia first up.