Glenn Maxwell and David Warner notched aggressive centuries to lead Australia’s 106-run win over a hapless India in a World Cup warm-up match, raising their status as favourites in the mega-event starting this week.
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Maxwell reached his whirlwind 100 off just 53 balls, hitting 11 boundaries and eight sixes before retiring for a 57-ball 122 to bolster Australia’s total to 371 all out in 48.2 overs.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni admitted that he is struggling to put up a strong eleven in the park ahead of their World Cup opener against Pakistan on Sunday.
The Indian captain, however, remained optimistic and was looking forward to the next warm-up game against Afghanistan tomorrow to set things right.
“It has been difficult for us. When the batsmen click, the bowlers don’t and when the bowlers do, the batsmen don’t. We need to sort that out,” he said yesterday.
“What’s important is that we have one more game in our hand and before playing Pakistan it would be good to have the first XI in our hand.”
Dhoni believes his spinners will have a key role to play when the big games begin.
“If the pitches remain as it is, we need our spinners to use the bounce more," he continued.
“It’s a very long tournament and what we have seen is the team that does well is the one that comes from the bottom and moves rapidly up.”
Skipper George Bailey won the toss and chose to bat at the Adelaide Oval ground. The Australian hit paceman Umesh Yadav for two fours and three sixes in the 45th over to build on the fiery 83-ball 104 by Warner, whose knock was studded with 14 boundaries and two sixes.
Aaron Finch had helped Warner hit 62 in just 8.2 overs in Australia’s rollicking start, which Maxwell ended with some brutal hitting, taking 88 off the last 29 balls he faced. Bailey also chipped in with a slow 66-ball 44.
Paceman Mohammad Shami took three wickets, but conceded 83 in his 9.2 overs. Rohit Sharma (eight) and Virat Kohli (18) fell early when India batted, but Shikar Dhawan (59) and Ajinkya Rahane (66) added 104 for the third wicket.
But after their partnership, only Ambati Rayadu made a fighting 42- ball 53 with four sixes and as many boundaries.
Skipper Dhoni fell for a first-ball duck to paceman Pat Cummins, who was Australia’s top bowler with 3-30.
Mitchell Starc, (2-16), Josh Hazlewood (2-25) and Mitchell Johnson (2-26) bowled with fire to bundle India out for 265 in 45.1 overs.
And Bailey was delighted at the way his team dismantled India, saying: “Great performance for us. I think you always can improve.
“We’d like to have lost a few less wickets. Getting momentum and confidence will be big,” he added.
New Zealand play Zimbabwe, Pakistan face Bangladesh, England battle the West Indies and South Africa meet Sri Lanka in warm-up games today.
