1st ODI: Mohammed Siraj, Shami ground Australia for 188
Mumbai, Mar 17: Mohammad Shami and Mohammed Siraj shared three wickets apiece as India bowled out hapless Australia for a mere 188 in 35.4 overs in the first ODI of their three-match series, here on Friday.
The collapse was an inexplicable one as Australia lost last six wickets for only 19 runs in a space of 7.5 overs as Hardik Pandya's decision to bring in Shami for a quick second spell turned out to be decisive.
The delivery to Cameron Green that sent the off-stump cart-wheeling was a real peach. It pitched on line of off-stump and Green had to commit but there was shade late movement that beat the batter and knocked back the off-stump.
The veteran pacer helped India pull things back in control after an attacking 65-ball 81 from Mitchell Marsh set Australia on the course of a competitive total, as his second spell of 3-2-8-3 broke the back of Australia's resistance after a sparkling start.
Shami finished with brilliant figures of 6-2-17-3.
On the other hand, Siraj, who provided an early wicket in the second over, also enjoyed success in his second spell to return with 5.4-1-29-3, snaffling the last two wickets in the Australian innings.
Marsh provided Australia with a rollicking start, cracking 10 fours and five sixes in his first-ever innings as an opener in ODIs, on his comeback to international cricket after a three-month layoff following an ankle surgery.
Marsh's charge in the first half of the game ensured Australia kept moving briskly towards a big total, but India kept making inroads at regular intervals and eventually bundled them out for a below-par score.
After Travis Head played one onto his wickets off Siraj in the second over, Marsh joined forces with Australia captain Steve Smith for a sturdy 72-run stand for the second wicket.
Smith, yet to record a half-century on the tour, chased one outside off from Hardik Pandya to walk back for a 30-ball 22.
Marsh continued with his attack but as he was nearing his second ODI century against India and first since January 2016, he played one shot too many to be dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja.
The Indian spinner bowled a delivery wide on the off-stump, and Marsh mis-hit it to be caught at short third man.
Jadeja then produced a stunning one-handed catch to get rid of Marnus Labuschagne (15) off Kuldeep Yadav, and Josh Inglis chopped one onto his wickets off Mohammad Shami as Australia stuttered to 169/5 in the 28th over.
Shami produced a wicket-maiden 30th over in which Shubman Gill dropped a catch at first slip his second in the innings as Green's off-stump went flying after a 19-ball 12.
But Gill finally held on to a regulation catch off Shami in the 32nd over to end Marcus Stoinis' (5) innings, sparking a batting collapse for the visitors who slipped from 129/2 to 188 all-out, losing eight wickets for 59 runs.
Glenn Maxwell (8) also flopped with the bat, hitting one straight to Pandya at short midwicket off Jadeja in the 33rd over.
Gill improvised further when he put in a dive to his right to help Siraj record his second wicket, with Sean Abbott (0) also failing to make a mark. The right-arm bowler had Adam Zampa (0) caught behind for the final wicket of the innings.
While the Indian pace duo of Shami and Siraj were spot-on, Australia rather found batting easy against the spin pair of Kuldeep and Jadeja, as they gave away 94 runs from a collective 17 overs with three wickets.
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Stalin takes veiled dig at Palaniswami for doing ''politics'' by donning a farmer''s garb
Tiruvannamalai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday took a veiled dig at AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami saying some do politics by donning the garb of a farmer and yet support laws that are detrimental to ryots.
In his address after inaugurating an agriculture expo and seminar here, the chief minister said that in giving priority to agriculture and farmers, "our Dravidian model government is a pioneer."
As soon as the DMK assumed office in 2021, the Department of Agriculture was renamed as "Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department."
Taking a veiled dig at the BJP, and DMK President said "some will change names according to their whims and fancies, but they will make farmers helpless and prompt them to hit the streets to stage protest."
The reference is perceived to be aimed at the BJP and the three controversial farm laws that were repealed later by the Centre following protests by farmers.
Furthermore, apparently targeting AIADMK chief Palaniswami, Stalin said, "some others engage in politics by donning the garb of a farmer."
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"However, they support laws that affect farmers; they will trivialise the struggles of farmers."
Stalin said that unlike others, for the Dravidian model government, the welfare and growth of farmers alone is important.
"That was why we thought of raising the income of farmers by increasing production and productivity," the CM noted.
As part of steps to achieve that goal, a separate budget --encompassing a slew of welfare measures-- for agriculture was introduced.
So far, 5 agri-budgets have been presented in the Assembly and in total, Rs 1.94 lakh crore was the allocation. The last agri-budget alone had an allocation of Rs 45,661 crore and when compared to allocation made in 2021-22, it was a 33 per cent increase.
The chief minister said: "Today, technology has advanced so much. Science and technology have progressed to the extent that tasks which used to take many hours can now be completed in a few minutes, and work done by hundreds of people can now be accomplished by a few machines."
Only when such advancement reaches the hands of farmers, it would transform into true development.
"We are organising these agricultural exhibitions so that you do not have to wander in search of these technologies," the CM said told the farmers.
Wondering if it was enough to hold only an exhibition, Stalin said, in order to make farmers understand concepts and use advancements, discussions with agricultural scientists in as many as 13 topics have been arranged to benefit them.
Through such seminars, farmers could learn new cultivation methods and agricultural business opportunities, he added.
On the occasion, the CM distributed welfare assistance to farmers, marking distribution to as many as 518 farmers, worth about Rs 9.43 crore.
The 2-day exhibition (on Dec 27 and 28, 2025 at Tirukovilur Road) that was inaugurated by the chief minister here was the third such event held by the state government this year. The first expo was held in June at Perunthurai in Erode district and the second was held at Chennai Trade Centre in the month of September.
In a separate government function held at Malappambadi in the district, the chief minister inaugurated as many 314 projects which includes new buildings for state-run healthcare facilities, government offices and a new police station in Tiruvannamalai (New Temple PS) town.
He laid foundation stone for 46 initiatives including a new paddy godown to be set up at Vembakkam. Also, he distributed welfare assistance --which includes housing pattas, houses under Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Thittam and crop loans-- to beneficiaries marking commencement of distribution to as many as 2,66,194 beneficiaries.
All such initiatives (including projects inaugurated by the CM) are cumulatively worth about Rs 2095.07 crore, the government said.
