Top 4 slam fifties as Australia post 352/7 in Rajkot ODI

Australia’s top four batters, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, registered impressive half-centuries as the visitors posted 352/7 after winning the toss and batting first on a flat surface in Rajkot on Wednesday, September 27.

Warner and Marsh got their team off to a great start, adding 78 for the opening wicket in 8.1 overs. The latter was extremely severe on Jasprit Bumrah in the third over, whacking him for two fours and a six. In the next over, Warner took on Mohammed Siraj, thumping him for two sixes and a four.

Prasidh Krishna was also treated with disdain as 19 runs came off the seventh over. Warner looted three fours off him before pulling a short ball over deep backward square leg for a maximum. The Aussie opener reached a 32-ball fifty with another maximum off Siraj’s bowling.

Krishna got the much-needed breakthrough for India, dismissing Warner for 56 off 34 as the Australian opener was caught behind attempting an adventurous scoop. Marsh and Smith build on the good start, adding 137 runs for the second wicket.

Smith was off the blocks swiftly, hitting three fours early in his innings. At the other end, Marsh reached 50 off 45 balls, punching Washington Sundar to deep point. The Aussie all-rounder was brutal on Bumrah in the 23rd over, slamming him for a six and three consecutive fours.

While Smith eased to his half-century, driving Bumrah for four through covers, Marsh looked set for three figures. Both batters, however, started feeling the Rajkot heat, with even a chair coming out for Smith as he replenished himself during a break.

Despite the trying conditions, Marsh kept attacking and reached the 90s by smacking Kuldeep Yadav for a maximum over long-off in the 28th over. The left-arm wrist-spinner, however, had his revenge in the same over as Marsh (96 off 84) miscued one to cover. Smith’s fine knock ended on 74 off 61 balls as he played across the line to Siraj and was caught right in front of the stumps.

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Labuschagne lifts Australia amid fall of wickets

Following the dismissals of the set batters, Australia lost Alex Carey (11), Glenn Maxwell (5) and Cameron Green (9) cheaply. Carey sliced a slower one from Bumrah to cover, while Maxwell was knocked over by a brilliant yorker from the Indian pacer. Green was caught in the deep trying to take on Kuldeep.

Labuschagne, though, ensured runs kept coming for Australia from one end. He was his usual busy self at the crease and found boundaries at regular intervals to keep the visitors’ scoreboard ticking. The Aussie batter hit nine fours before perishing to Bumrah for 72 off 58 balls in the penultimate over, miscuing a slower ball to long on.

Although Bumrah was expensive, finishing with figures of 3/81, he bowled an excellent 49th over, conceding only 5 runs. Overall, though, it was a tough day in the office for India’s bowlers. Siraj registered figures of 1/68 in nine overs, Krishna had 1/45 in five, while Kuldeep picked up 2/48 in six. Washington Sundar (0/48 from 10 overs) was the most economical of all Indian bowlers.