Australia hold nerve to win thriller

Oct 25, 2009

Though ODIs may be losing their charm, Vadodara witnessed a healthy turnout for the series opener•Getty Images

The responsibility lay with Ricky Ponting to do the repair job •Getty Images

Paine was the first to reach a half-century, off 61 balls•Getty Images

Ravindra Jadeja finally ended Ponting's stay, trapping him leg before for 74 •Getty Images

White reached his fifty off 66 balls, and put on 76 for the fourth wicket with Hussey•Getty Images

AFP

India's hopes faded when Johnson dismissed Gambhir•Getty Images

But Peter Siddle bowled a tight last over, which included the wicket of Harbhajan, to stop India short by four runs•AFP

The crowd had more to cheer when Ashish Nehra got rid of Shane Watson early•Getty Images

Tim Paine gave him good support•AFP

But Ishant Sharma had him caught behind one ball later•Associated Press

Cameron White began slowly•Associated Press

White departed, but Hussey kept up the late charge with a 54-ball 73 to take Australia to 292•Getty Images

Gautam Gambhir kept India in the hunt with a fluent 68•Associated Press

But the lower order stepped up; Harbhajan Singh blitzed his way to 49...•Getty Images

The second-wicket partnership yielded 95 as Australia took the upper hand•Getty Images

Ponting, though, powered on to his fifty•Getty Images

But Michael Hussey ensured the partnership picked up pace•Getty Images

Brett Lee had Virender Sehwag caught-behind for 13 to dent India early•Getty Images

MS Dhoni chipped in with 34, but India needed a bigger contribution•AFP

...and Praveen Kumar scored a quickfire 40 to add 84 for the eighth wicket, as India looked to pull off a stunning win•AFP