1st ODI: Handscomb, Stoinis lift Australia to competitive 288 for 5
Sydney, Jan 12: Peter Handscomb switched gears in time to score a fighting 73 as a collective batting effort from the middle-order steered Australia to a competitive 288 for five against India in the first One-day International, here Saturday.
Usman Khawaja (59) and Shaun Marsh (54) scored half-centuries for Australia who lost skipper Aaron Finch (6) in a slow start after electing to bat.
A late charge from Handscomb and Stoinis meant that the hosts scored 93 runs in the last 10 overs, 59 of them coming in the last five.
They added 68 runs off 59 balls for in their fifth-wicket partnership as Handscomb delighted the home fans with eight boundaries including two sixes while Stoinis hit two fours and as many shots over the ropes.
Spinners Kuldeep Yadav (2/54) and Ravindra Jadeja (1/48) shared three wickets between them while pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/66) accounted for two batsmen.
Sloppy fielding from India towards the end also helped Australia as Ambati Rayudu dropped Handscomb (on 67 off Kumar).
Kumar bowled Finch (6) in the third over, an inswinger slipping in through the gate.
Alex Carey (24) made a good start and was looking set for a longer innings, when Yadav outfoxed him in his very first over, caught at slip off a quicker top-spinner. Australia only managed 41-2 in the first 10 overs.
It brought Khawaja and Marsh together, and they put on 92 runs off 111 balls for the third wicket. In doing so, they pushed India to make changes in the middle overs. It didn't help that Shami went off the field for a little while with a neck related issue.
During that time, India experimented with Ambati Rayudu (0/13) but he failed to provide any control over proceedings. It didn't help that Khaleel Ahmed (0/55) was having an off day, struggling with this front-foot and general control over line and length.
Khawaja-Marsh pair added 50 in 61 balls as Australia crossed 100 in the 23rd over. Khawaja brought up his fifth ODI half-century off 70 balls, and opened up a bit more to play some attractive sweeps.
But he perished in that manner as Jadeja trapped him lbw in the 29th over, providing a crucial breakthrough for India. Marsh carried on though, and reached his 13th ODI half-century off 65 balls, thus putting up 53 runs off 55 balls with Handscomb for the fourth wicket.
Their 50-run stand came off only 49 balls as Australia started to show a little more urgency. Shami though had returned to the field and along with Jadeja, exerted control over the proceedings and the run-rate never crossed the 5/over mark during that passage of play.
Australia finally managed to cross 200 in the 42nd over, but had lost Marsh in the process as he holed out off Yadav in the 38th over.
Stoinis' arrival at the crease had helped press matters as both he and Handscomb opened up with a couple sixes and upped the run-rate.
Handscomb reached his second ODI half-century off 50 balls, helping push Australia past 250 in the 48th over.
Latest Updates: India: 95-3 (24)
Rohit Sharma- 50(63)*
MS Dhoni (wk)- 36(71)*
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Shivakumar will become CM after ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature: Cong MLA
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain on Friday claimed that D K Shivakumar will become the chief minister after the ongoing winter session of the state legislature here.
The MLA from Ramanagara was among the ministers and legislators, who met for dinner, along with Shivakumar, late last night.
"MLAs from various constituencies have come for the session; it is a rare opportunity for all of us to meet. During the session, we meet each other. We had dinner together. What's there in that? Can having food together be called a show of strength?" Hussain told reporters here in response to a question about the dinner meeting.
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Asked whether only those close to Shivakumar were invited for the dinner, he said, all are friends and close to each other.
To a question whether Shivakumar gave any good news during the dinner, the MLA, who is considered close to the Deputy CM said, "I'm giving the good news. He will become (CM) after the session, he will become. What's wrong with it?"
He said, "....Shivakumar will get a chance, he will become the chief minister now."
Replying to a question about statements that Shivakumar will become if it is written in his fate, Hussain said, "Everything will happen if the god has written in one's fate....We are all confident that Shivakumar has a chance for his efforts, struggle, and organising the party. We have told the same to the high command, the high command will decide."
According to Hussain 50-55 Congress legislators met for dinner late last night.
Though leaders term it a casual dinner meeting, speculation is rife as it had taken place amid a power tussle in the ruling party, over the CM post.
Stating that the Congress is a disciplined party and no one is above the high command, Hussain said, the leadership will take a final decision on the CM issue.
"Numbers are not important here. We should be committed to the decision they (high command) make. They have said that everyone should abide by the party discipline and abide by their decision. This is the party culture, too. We will abide by their decision," he said.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculations about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each other's residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session. The legislature session that began on December 8, will go on till the 19th.
