Australia finally broke their streak of 11 consecutive ODI losses away from home with a composed victory over India last night.
For a while it looked as if Australia’s total of 5-334 would not be enough when India’s openers bolted to 0-106 from 18 overs.
But Australia’s relatively inexperienced pace trio of Kane Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Pat Cummins bowled with discipline through the middle and late overs to halt the Indian charge.
That was just as well because the Indian batsmen once again demolished Australia’s spinners. Adam Zampa and part-time offie Travis Head together took 1-101 from 15 overs.
Combined with left arm tweaker Ashton Agar, Australia’s slow bowlers have returned the horrific figures of four wickets at 76 in this series, while conceding a whopping 6.6 runs per over.
Meanwhile, Coulter-Nile (nine wickets at 23) and Kane Richardson (seven wickets at 22) have been prolific, and although Cummins average of 47 is poor he has been wonderfully tight, giving up just 4.77 runs per over this series.
Coulter-Nile and Richardson yesterday utilised clever changes of pace to keep the Indian batsmen guessing. By comparison, it was Cummins scorching speed which challenged his opponents – even at the end of his spell he was nudging 150kmh and rushing the batsmen.
(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
While Australia will be relieved to end their run of defeats overseas, it must be remembered this victory came in a dead rubber against an Indian side which was without many key players.
Most notably, India rested quality opening bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya, and deceptive left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav. As a result, their attack looked far more vulnerable.
Even still, for the second consecutive match Australia failed to capitalise on a fantastic start to their innings. In the third ODI Australia were in a dominant position at 1-224 before losing 5-51 and finishing with a below par total of 6-293 which India chased easily.
Yesterday the tourists were even better placed batting first. At 0-231 with 15 overs remaining they were well within reach of making 400 and should not have made any less than 370.
Then Aaron Finch (94), David Warner (124) and Steve Smith (3) all fell in the space of 14 deliveries. Instead of throwing caution to the wind and accelerating towards a massive total, Australia were left to consolidate, wasting crucial overs at the death.
Even with a late flourish from Peter Handscomb (43 from 30 balls) and Marcus Stoinis (15no from 9 balls), Australia only reached 5-334, making just 103 runs from their final 15 overs.
On the bright side, Australia have plenty of reason to be pleased with the batting efforts of Finch, Warner and Handscomb.
After being in poor form for the best part of two years in ODIs, Finch played wonderfully well yet again after his drought-breaking ton in the previous match. Warner, meanwhile, fired for the first time this series and continued his upward form curve in foreign conditions across all formats.
His ODI record across the past 18 months has been phenomenal, with 2021 runs at 63, including 10 centuries from just 34 matches.
(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
As for Handscomb, the 26-year-old displayed the versatility which Australia will need from him if he is to become a fixture in the ODI lineup. Batting in the middle order, Handscomb has always appeared suited to steadying an innings after a few wickets, or working the ones and twos while a more aggressive batting partner goes for their shots.
What was less clear was whether he could play the role of a finisher, coming to the crease in the final 15 overs and accelerating immediately. Yesterday Handscomb accumulated few dot balls and found the boundary when required.
Australia badly need a middle order batsman who can play the role of either an anchor or a finisher, depending on the circumstances.
They were previously blessed with players in this mould such as Mike Hussey and Michael Bevan. While Handscomb obviously is a long, long way from going anywhere near equalling their records, he is Australia’s best candidate to at least mimic their styles.
In the final ODI Australia will have a chance to claw back some respect and Handscomb will have an opportunity to cement his ODI spot.
Vikram Sudan
Roar Rookie
Steve smith is not a good captain in Odi give the captaincy hand over to David Warner odi and T20 and drop the Mahee wade and Maxwell and pick the new players Like Alex Carey , Joe Burns and Kurtis Peterson.
Vikram sudan
Guest
Steve smith is not a good captain in Odi give the captaincy hand over to David Warner odi and T20 and drop the Mahee wade and Maxwell and pick the new players Like Alex Carey , Joe Burns and Kurtis Peterson
Sumit
Guest
Ah.. Australia the spin bowlers graveyard. Let's see how Ashwin does on the next trip. I have more hopes on Kuldeep Yadav's wrist spin, as it takes the pitch out of the equation.
maverick
Roar Rookie
Where has Maxwell been good at? It's bemusing to see how you guys ignore Maxwell's constant failure and blame others for his poor showing.Head is only in his 2nd year in international cricket.This is Maxwell's 6th.He needs to get better and I wish all the best to him.
Ben
Roar Rookie
You can't blame maxwell for losing. The first 2 games the selectors picked Cartwright who never opened overseas. Smith didn't learn from the mistake and Cartwright opened again and failed. The 3rd the middle order including head and handscomb collapsed and smith didn't utilise his bowlers. He should have used head and maxwell.
Ben
Roar Rookie
Yes, at the back end of the innings you need players like maxwell. Head has been good in Australia but not in India.
Ben
Roar Rookie
Head hasn't been any better this series. The last game in the the last 10 overs he should at least make a run a ball especially with stoinis and cummins in the shed. We only won because our bowlers bowled very well.
Mitch Spencer
Roar Rookie
Calm down mate. Go meditate to enya music.
Mitch Spencer
Roar Rookie
You haven't been seeing cricket lately. Maxwell has failed , everytime, to halt fall of wickets. We need level headed cricketers to win in 50 overs cricket.
doogs
Guest
oh dear. have a panadol and a lie down brother
Mitch Spencer
Roar Rookie
So you wish we had Maxwell in place of PH or Head ? Maxwell sure would have smashed 2 sixes before getting out for 15. PH and Head stalled the collapse and stabilized the innings something which we lacked in the first 3 games eventually resulting in loss of the series.
W G GRACE
Guest
Heard that the convict colonials did a lap of honour after the game celebrating this rare win - get used to losing though as England will retain the Ashes with a 3-1 series win with 1 test drawn - Got to remember the crowd have come to see England play not your convict colonial side of misfits.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I like it. Personally I like Maxwell over Head but I'd also like to see another slash with /Khawaja.
BrainsTrust
Guest
First match they lost 3 wickets early while scoring at a piddling rate in a virtual T20 encounter, a mid range T20 score, was made into mission impossible by the top order.. Second they again lost wickets early with a almost zero run rate , though in that match it was the tail collapsing that was the bigger problem. The middle order had to score quicker to make up for the non scoring start . The middle order in comparison has been the most consistent. The 3rd match and 4th matches the middle order has been disappointing but not disastrous.
BurgyGreen
Guest
One of the few great memories for a Hurricanes fan such as myself. Hard to believe he's only 22. Huge potential.
Bakkies
Guest
The big difference in the end were the sixes that Stoinis dispatched at the end of the innings. Those runs were valuable.
maverick
Roar Rookie
Yeah you are right.Wade shouldn't have replaced him.Infact wade shouldn't be anywhere near the Australian side.But Maxwell needs runs.He needs to go back to shield and score heavily.That is the only currency to get a spot in the Ashes.
JamesH
Roar Guru
How about this side going forward: Warner Finch Maxwell/Head Smith Handscomb Stoinis NotWade (maybe McDermott?) Cummins Starc Hazlewood NCN/Faulkner or Lyon/Zampa/Agar (depending on conditions). I know it didn't work today but I like Smith coming in a bit later.
JamesH
Roar Guru
He can hit the ball. That ton against the Renegades was something else.
DavSA
Guest
Any team scoring 370 should almost always take the match . Finch really does look like he belongs .Winning this game I think will move the team into a really good space . If they were to take the last match it would set them up very nicely for the Ashes. Off topic though Ronan , what is going on in SA cricket? Coach Domingo gets the boot and immediately after he goes AB de Villiers makes himself available for selection in all forms and now the CEO , Lorgat who was bosom buddies of Domingo gets fired and suddenly Dale Steyn is back training with the team . Coincidence ? I wonder . Something keeps taking me back to a certain press conference where the behavior of Lorgat and Domingo regarding Abbott and Rileys exit to England was shocking. Are we to see a kiss and make up and a door re-opened for these two players. Intriguing times indeed. All this just before an extremely important India series . Important because it is not just so rare for them to tour here but as you are no doubt aware SA has the largest Indian population in the World outside of India and as a result the matches are sellouts with huge interest all over the place. Finally throw in the appointment of Otis Gibson as coach , a foreign coach which flies in the face of all current policies of SA development policies, especially when we have the excellent Geoff Toyana itching for the job.