Virat Kohli of India celebrates with team mate Shikhar Dhawan after scoring a century during the Victoria Bitter One Day International match between Australia and India at Manuka Oval on January 20, 2016 in Canberra, Australia.
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Finch smashed a run-a-ball 107 while Warner fell on 93 from 92 deliveries as the hosts continued to make merry against India’s toothless bowling attack after winning the toss and opting to bat first.
INDIA (PROBABLE): Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey/Gurkeerat Mann, MS Dhoni (capt. & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin/Rishi Dhawan, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav/Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Barinder Sran/Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Smith hit four boundaries and three sixes in a 29-ball 51 and Warner had six boundaries and a six in his 20-ball innings. Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma shared seven wickets between them, but at a cost of 144 runs.
Australia lead the five-match series 3-0.
The chief beneficiary of India’s collapse was seamer Richardson, while Mitchell Marsh (2-55) rounded things off after overcoming a bout of cramp – with Australia even able to get away with a number of late drops. India were asked to score 349 for a win.
Finch gave Warner good support from the other end as the hosts kept the scoreboard ticking at healthy rate, helped on by some inconsistent fielding performance by the visitors. India will feel it is criminal to have let him bowl eight overs for no serious damage, which takes pressure off Smith should one of his main bowlers have an off day. But Australia ensured they made India work for every single run.
Yadav also conceded three boundaries in the next over against the diminutive left-hander as Australia raced to 50 in the seventh over.
“I was very, very excited to see Glenn Maxwell go out there, play a mature innings and get us home”, Warner said ahead of the fourth ODI in Canberra.
India lost their fourth consecutive match of the series to Australia by 25 runs at the Manuka Oval here on Wednesday.
Their century partnership came up in just 78 balls, as Dhawan reached his fifty off 49 balls while Kohli got there in just 34 balls.
Hit all over the park in the series so far, the struggling Indian bowlers have the sympathy of marauding Australian opener David Warner, who feels the the bowlers’ job has become tough due to flat wickets produced for one-day cricket these days.
Finch however, went on to complete his ton and made 107 off 107 balls.
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Finch launched himself into a full delivery from Ishant Sharma, the ball racing back down the pitch before a deflection off the bowler’s fingertips saw it cannon into Kettleborough’s shin at the non-striker’s end.
