Wade helps Australia beat India in first Commonwealth Bank ODI

Melbourne, Feb.5 (ANI): Debutant wicketkeeper-batsman Mathew Wade helped Australia to beat India by 65 runs in the first one day match of the Commonwealth Bank Series on Sunday. The visitors lost the match on the basis of the Duckworth-Lewis Method due to inclement weather throughout the game.

Wade scored 67 in a total of 216 for the loss of five wickets. He was helped by fellow all-rounder David Hussey who scored an unbeaten 61. Karnataka fast bowler Vinay Kumar was the star of the Indian bowling line-up, grabbing three of the five Australian wickets to fall for a paltry 21 runs.

Replying to Australia's total, India folded up for 151.

Emerging batsman Virat Kohli top scored for the visitors with 31. For Australia, fast bowler Clint McKay grabbed four wickets for 20 runs.

Australia's mix of youth and experience worked to great effect at the MCG. The selectors consciously chosen a squad that blended fresh faces with veterans.

Apart from Wade and Hussey, a fast 45 from Michael Hussey and a pair of blinding catches by Ricky Ponting were key factors in the win.

The rain-affected clash was reduced to 32 overs a side. Australia pushed their score up to 5 for 216 after a shaky start and the total remained unchanged under Duckworth-Lewis, but it was the sort of target India should have felt was achievable.

But two early wickets to left arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, followed by Clint McKay's four wickets stopped India in its tracks.

One of the highlights of the match was South Australian Daniel Christian's run-out of R Ashwin. His slide in the deep followed by a well-directed throw as the batsmen attempted a third run marked out the Australians as the better fielding side on Sunday.

Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar disappointed fans again, departing for two. He chased a ball angled across him from Starc and Ponting dived low to his right to take a brilliant catch. Gautam Gambhir was caught behind of the same bowler for five.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma then combined for a 51-run stand that featured some shots of pure class, but McKay snared both of them - Kohli caught by Ponting at point for 31, and Sharma caught behind for 21 two balls later.

Earlier, Australia were sent in to bat by Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and quickly lost two wickets for 35 before setting up a challenging total for the Indians to chase. (ANI)