Nehra grabs three, Aussies bowled out for 250

By Balbir Singh, Mohali, Nov 2 : Ashish Nehra led the bowling attack with a three-wicket haul and the Indian fielders put up a brilliant display to restrict Australia to 250 all-out in the fourth One-day international here at the PCA stadium today.

While Nehra returned with impresive figures of three for 37, Harbhajan chipped in with a couple of wickets.

For Australia, Cameron White (62) and Ricky Ponting (52) made useful half-centuries but couldn't finish the job for the visitors who were bowled out with four balls to spare.

As many as four Australian players were run out which was enough to indicate India's exceptional fielding today.

Sent in to bat first, Australia's decision to open the innings with Shaun Marsh (5) proved to be unsuccessful and the left-hander departed with just 24 runs on the board.

But Shane Watson and and Ricky Ponting did the repair work and looking to put up a good show for the team this time.

Ponting had just reached his half-century when a brilliant direct hit from Ravindra Jadeja, who came running in from deep square-leg, sent him back in the hut.

The Australian skipper looked in great touch and made his intentions clear from the very start when he pulled the first delivery to the square-leg boundary.

Ponting played well for his 52 runs, which came off 59 balls and had five boundaries and six.

Opener Shane Watson (49) put on a 64-run stand for the second wicket until the introduction Harbhajan Singh, who cut short the the batsman's innings.

Watson, while trying to cut Harbhajan behind square, could manage just a faint edge and Dhoni completed a neat catch behind the stumps.

Indian bowlers did a fine job and it was only Ishant Sharma who came under the hammer. The Delhi pacer went for a 13 runs in his first over, which included a six from Ponting.

Down 2-1 in the seven-match series, Australia needed its captain to fire and Ponting was looking set to go on for a big score but Jadeja's throw did him in.

Cameron White was then joined by Mike Hussey, who continued to relish the Indian bowling and was moving ahead nicely to score his fourth successive half-century of the series.

The left-hander (40) tried to heave Yuvraj over the deep mid-wicket fence but fell short and Ishant compeleted the catch.

But it was White who provided the momentum to the visitors with a half-century which was studded with three fours and a six and also some brilliant running between the wickets.

The Victorian didn't rely completely on big hitting but also rotated the strikes regularly.

Both White and Hussey added 73 runs for the fourth wicket.

White too became a victim of some exceptional ground fielding by the Indians and was run out bu Nehra on his follow through.

His dismissal led to a lower order collapse and the whole team crumbled in the last few overs, to be bowled out for 250 runs.

--UNI

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