Pramod ThomasBy: Pramod Thomas
FAST bowlers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj took three wickets each as India bundled out Australia for 188 in Mumbai after a dramatic batting collapse in the first one-day international on Friday (17).
Mitchell Marsh lost fellow opener Travis Head early but buoyed the tourists with an attacking 81 to open the batting at the start of the three-match series.
But the innings turned on its head after his departure with Shami (3-17) and Siraj (3-29) wreaking havoc to dimiss Australia in 35.4 overs, after the tourists were put into bat first and looked solid on 129-2.
Playing in the three-match series as a specialist batsman after recovering from an ankle injury, Marsh put on 72 runs for the second wicket with skipper Steve Smith, who made 22.
He smashed 10 fours and five sixes in his 65-ball knock to take the wind out of the Indian bowlers who hit back with wickets.
Marsh reached his fifty with a boundary and another four got Australia past 100 before he fell to Ravindra Jadeja in his attempt to go after the left-arm spinner and got caught.
Australia suddenly lost their way as Shami with help from Jadeja and Siraj ripped through the rest of the Australian order.
Josh Inglis, who donned the wicketkeeping gloves after Alex Carey was ruled out sick, looked good in his knock of 26 before being bowled by Shami.
Shami then sent back Cameron Green (12) and Marcus Stoinis (5) to break the back of the opposition batting.
The two teams are warming up for the ODI World Cup later this year in India.
(AFP)
