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Favourites Australia knocked Asia’s last hope India out of the ICC Champions Trophy with a six-wicket win here on Sunday to take their place in the semifinals.

Veteran Glenn McGrath claimed 2-34 from 10 overs as India were restricted to 249-8 after electing to bat, despite half-centuries from Virender Sehwag (65) and captain Rahul Dravid (52). The world champions cruised past the target in the 46th over of the day-night international with Shane Watson making 50, skipper Ricky Ponting 58 and Damien Martyn an unbeaten 73.

Australia topped group A ahead of the West Indies on net run-rate and will clash with trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in the first semifinal here on November 1.

Group B champions South Africa will meet holders West Indies in the second semifinal in Jaipur on November 2.

India’s defeat meant none of the Asian teams made it to the semifinals of a major ICC event for the first time since the inaugural World Cup in 1975. Pakistan and Sri Lanka were also beaten in the league stage and Bangladesh failed to get past the qualifying round.

Adam Gilchrist and Watson provided a rollicking start by smashing 61 for the opening wicket by the ninth over. Shanthakumaran Sreesanth made the breakthrough when Gilchrist slashed a short ball to Suresh Raina at point. But there was no relief for the Indians as Ponting added 50 for the second wicket with Watson and 74 for the third with Martyn.

Watson was trapped leg-before by Dinesh Mongia and Ponting was caught in the slips by Sachin Tendulkar off Sreesanth, but Australia’s superiority gave them an easy win.

India were restricted to 63 runs in the last 10 overs despite Mahendra Dhoni’s typically aggressive 28 off 23 balls.

Sehwag contributed 31 in an opening stand of 46 with Tendulkar, who made an uninspiring 10 before edging McGrath to wicket-keeper Gilchrist in the 10th over. Dravid reached his 72nd half-century in the 41st over. Lee struck again in his next over by bowling Mohammad Kaif for 30 before Bracken removed Raina for 13 and Dhoni off the last ball of the innings.

Scoreboard

India won toss

India

V Sehwag lbw b Johnson 65

S R Tendulkar c Gilchrist b McGrath 10

D Mongia c Hussey b Watson 18

*R Dravid c Clarke b Lee 52

M Kaif b Lee 30

†M S Dhoni lbw b Bracken 28

S K Raina c Watson b Bracken 13

I K Pathan c Martyn b McGrath 10

Harbhajan Singh not out 5

Extras (lb5, w9, nb4) 18

Total (8 wkts, 50 overs) 249

Did not bat: M M Patel, S Sreesanth

Fall: 1-46, 2-89, 3-126, 4-186, 5-197, 6-224, 7-239, 8-249

Bowling: Lee 10-1-54-2 (3nb, 1w); McGrath 10-1-34-2; Bracken 10-2-56-2 (1w); Johnson 8-0-33-1 (1nb); Watson 9-0-48-1 (7w); Symonds 3-0-19-0

Australia

†A C Gilchrist c Raina b Sreesanth 23

S R Watson lbw b Mongia 50

*R T Ponting c Tendulkar b Sreesanth 58

D R Martyn not out 73

A Symonds b Pathan 20

M J Clarke not out 2

Extras (lb8, w18) 26

Total (4 wkts, 45.4 overs) 252

Did not bat: M E K Hussey, B Lee, M G Johnson, N W Bracken, G D McGrath

Fall: 1-61, 2-111, 3-185, 4-230

Bowling: Pathan 7-0-42-1 (3w); Patel 8.4-0-61-0 (3w); Sreesanth 8-1-43-2 (3w); Harbhajan Singh 10-0-49-0 (1w); Mongia 9-0-36-1 (2w); Sehwag 3-0-13-0

Result: Australia won by 6 wickets

Points: Australia 2, India 0

Man of the Match: Damien Martyn

Umpires: B F Bowden (New Zealand) and S A Bucknor (West Indies). TV umpire: M R Benson (England). Match referee: R S Madugalle (Sri Lanka)

Next match: November 1 (Wednesday) 1st Semifinal, Australia v New Zealand (Mohali, d/n)

Remaining matches: November 2 2nd Semifinal, West Indies v South Africa (Jaipur, d/n). November 5 Final (Mumbai, d/n)

ICC Champions

Trophy Points Table

Group A P W L Pts NRR

Australia 3 2 1 4 +0.529

West Indies 3 2 1 4 +0.009

India 3 1 2 2 +0.482

England 3 1 2 2 -1.044

Group B

South Africa 3 2 1 4 +0.767

New Zealand 3 2 1 4 +0.572

Sri Lanka 3 1 2 2 -0.195

Pakistan 3 1 2 2 -1.107

Note: Australia and West Indies from Group A and South Africa and New Zealand from Group B have qualified for the semifinals.

Source:The News

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