Yuvraj Century In Vain As Australia Go 2-0 Up
India's Yuvraj Singh plays a shot against Australia during their third one-day international cricket match in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad.
©REUTERS/Adnan Abidi (INDIA) Picture Supplied by Action Images
Yuvraj Century In Vain As Australia Go 2-0 Up
Australia's Matthew Hayden plays a shot during their third one-day international cricket match against India in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad. Hayden made 60 runs.
©REUTERS/Adnan Abidi (INDIA) Picture Supplied by Action Images
290 for 7 (Symonds 89, Hayden 60, Clarke 59)
India 243 (Yuvraj Singh 121, Tendulkar 43, Lee 3-37, Hogg 3-47)
Australia won by 47 runs and lead the series 2-0 with four to play
Yuvraj Singh scored a fine century but it wasn't enough to prevent Australia taking a 2-0 series lead as they secured a 47-run victory in the third one-day international in Hyderabad.
Chasing 291 to win, a half-century partnership with Sachin Tendulkar (42) helped India bounce back after losing three wickets for 13 early on. Brad Hogg bowled Tendulkar to leave India with work to do, but with Yuvraj Singh looking back to his best, the game was nicely set up. He passed fifty before launching Hogg for a huge six over mid-wicket and unleashing a number of typically stylish drives and sweeps to give India hope of victory.
He then added another half-century stand with Mahendra Singh Dhoni (33) before the captain fell to the returning Brett Lee and Rohit Sharma was caught by Lee off of James Hopes for 1, with that two wicket burst turning the game sharply back in Australia's favour.
When Irfan Pathan was trapped in front by Brad Hogg for 1, it looked all up for India, before Yuvraj moved to his century in the 41st over, with the next scoring shot another huge six, this time off of Mitchell Johnson. He then hit Stuart Clark for 15 runs in the next over before Johnson bowled an inswinging yorker which ended his magnificent 116-ball stay at the crease.
He had hit 12 fours and three sixes and the relief shown by the Australians upon his dismissal highlighted how crucial he was to the Indian cause. Australia then wasted little time in knocking over the tail to take a commanding win and a commanding hold on the series.
Earlier, Australia picked up from where they left off in Kochi, with Andrew Symonds, Matthew Hayden, and Michael Clarke hitting half-centuries as they posted 290 for 7.
Welcoming back Ricky Ponting, he watched openers Adam Gilchrist (23) and Matthew Hayden (60) add 76 for the first wicket before hitting 25 himself. Michael Clarke then added 59 and Andrew Symonds 89 from 67 balls, hitting five sixes.
Zaheer Khan, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, and Irfan Pathan picked up two wickets apiece.
Australia's bowlers then took command with Brett Lee picking up Gautam Gambhir, trapped in front for 6 and Rahul Dravid caught at slip by Matthew Hayden for a duck, while Mitchell Johnson removed Robin Uthappa, again leg before playing round his front pad and India were in trouble at 13 for 3 before Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh came together and applied the brakes on the Australian juggernaut with a partnership worth 95 for the fourth wicket.
Brad Haddin was the man to make way for the returning Australian captain, while for India, Rohit Sharma came in for Ramesh Powar. Australia won the toss and chose to bat.
India: Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Robin Uthappa, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c, wk), Rohit Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth
Australia: Adam Gilchrist (wk), Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Brad Hodge, James Hopes, Brett Lee, Brad Hogg, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark
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