Australia Vs India 2 nd ODI Played at Woolongabba, Brisbane on 15 January 2015

Australia 309/3 (GJ Bailey 76*, AJ Finch 71, SE Marsh 71, SPD Smith 46,) beat India 308 /8 ( RG Sharma 124 , AM Rahane 89, V Kohli 59, JP Faulkner 2/64 ) by 7 wickets.

It was almost a Perth ODI replayed in Brisbane. In Perth, India batting first set a target of 310 for Australia to win. Australia chased it in the last over with four balls to spare.

In Brisbane India gain batted first setting Australia 309 to win. Australia won this time by 7 wickets with 6 balls to spare. In both tests prolific, Rohit Sharma scored centuries but his team India had to embrace heart-breaking defeats. He must be wondering what more he could do to secure win for his team India.

In the Perth ODI the king pin of Australian batting George Bailey could be out first ball had there been DRS. In Brisbane, there was no such possibility. India did not bowl good enough as a team to win either at Perth or Brisbane.

Australia is now sitting pretty 2-0 in the series. India will now have to play out of skin to come back and save the series white wash.

Choosing to bat first India again, riding on rollicking Rohit put up a defendable score of 308 /8. Rohit was run out this time after scoring 124. This time again Virat partnered him for yet another 123 run second wicket Partnership.

After Virat left scoring 59 getting run out Rahane picked up where Virat left. Rohit and Rahane added 121for the third wicket before Rohit went back in the similar fashion as Virat. The way Indian batsmen were handling Australian bowling it appeared that run out was the only possibility.

However, after Rohit and Rahane left Indian batting lost the momentum. It was once thought India may reach 330 or more. But quick wickets restricted the score to 308 /8. 5 of the nine batsmen appearing could not even reach double figure. On an easy-paced wicket, Australian bowlers struggled .But superior fielding managed to keep Indian score within touching distance.

Rohit Sharma again batted beautifully scoring 124 off 127 deliveries. He is proving to be a Bradman in the land of Bradman. But to his utter surprise most of the time he scores a ton India loose. Kohli again batted well for his 59 before getting run out.

Rahane proved his class with 89. None of the Australian bowlers could impress. But Australia fielded much better that India and accounted for three run outs which significantly controlled damage in this keenly contested high scoring match.

Australia batted like a well-oiled machine against toothless Indian bowling. The opening pair Shaun March and Aron set a solid foundation with 145 runs first wicket partnership. Finch was first to go scoring 71 runs in 81 deliveries.

Marsh also left soon scoring exactly 71. But by then Australia was already cruising at 2/166 in the 30th over. The heroes of the first match Bailey and Smith came together. This time, Yadav could separate them clean bowling Smith. But by then victory was almost assured at 3/244 in the 41st over.

Smith scoring 46 was the only batsman of the top four not reaching half century. Bailey and Maxwell took Australia home knocking off the reaming runs with an over to spare. Green and gold went 2-0 up in the series.

In the two matches played so far, top order of both the teams played well on easy-paced surface. Bowlers of both the teams struggled with Australian bowlers bowling marginally better. The superior fielding of the home team made the difference. Indians dropped some important catches.

Indians came to Australia with high hopes on debutant BB Sran dubbed “Indian Mustafiz.” In Perth, he took two early wickets but in Brisbane, he like others failed to impress. With this bowling line up, it will be a huge challenge for India to come back in the series.

Australia in lead rarely allows opponents to come back. May be MCG next will be the best opportunity for the visitors tomorrow. If not home crowd will possibly enjoy another clean sweep another Aussie Wash.

BDST: 1000 HRS, JAN 16, 2016
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