Indian team displayed a brilliant all round performance first with the bowl to restrict the world champions to 239/8 in 50 overs and then chase down 240 runs for victory with quite an ease with 295 balls left.
Chasing a target of 240 runs for victory, opener Robin Uthappa (17 runs of 33 balls) and Sachin Tendulkar gave India a solid start by putting 50 runs for the 1st wicket in 10 overs. With some brilliant work in the field Australia do manage to pull back the match in their favor between 11th and 19th over by picking up three quick wickets.
First man to go was R.Uthappa who was caught inches from the ground by M.Hussey on the bowling of James Hopes in the 11th over. Few overs later G.Gambhir ran out himself in the process of taking two runs with Sachin Tendulkar. Yuvraj Singh who showed some form in previous two outings once again struggle to deliver when it was required for his team and clean bowled by B.Hogg who is playing last match of his career at S.C.G.
However experience of Sachin Tendulkar and calmness of Rohit Sharma didn’t panic in the run chase and put on match winning partnership of 118 runs for the fourth wicket. Rohit Sharma made brilliant 66 runs from 87 balls before getting bowled by James Hopes with just 28 more runs required for win.
Now the small task of chasing 30 runs in 51 balls was completed with the ease by M.S.Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar.
Earlier Australia did well to post a challenging total to the Indians after struggling at 24/3 in the 6th over of their inning.
Hayden (82 runs of 88 balls) and Symonds (31 runs of 44 balls) were the protagonists in the Australian fightback as the duo resurrected the innings with a splendid counterattacking partnership of 100 runs. M.Hussey (44 runs of 67 balls) then took charge in the later part of the innings to guide Australia to a competitive total.
Sachin Tendulkar was declared Man of the Match for his brilliant 117 runs of 120 balls.
Match Summary
Australia – 239/8 in 50 Overs
M.Hayden– 82M.Hussey– 45
H.Singh – 10-0-38-2P.Kumar- 10-1-49-2
India – 242/4 in 45.5 Overs
S.Tendulkar– 117*R.Sharma– 66
J.Hopes – 8.5-0-42-2B.Hogg- 7-0-38-1
Highlights - India Vs Australia 1st Final of CB Series
