Australia do it again, chase 300-plus target

Australia beat India by seven wickets in the second One Day International at the Gabba in Brisbane on Friday. Replying to India’s 308 for 8, Australia scored 309 runs in 49 overs with seven wickets to spare. The hosts have now taken a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

India's Rohit Sharma jumps as he celebrates reaching his century during the second One Day International cricket match against Australia in Brisbane on Friday. REUTERS/Glenn Hunt

George Bailey, who scored a century in the first match, anchored Australia’s innings with an unbeaten 76.

He was well supported by openers Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh who scored 71 runs each. Captain Steve Smith chipped in with a useful 46.

Earlier India’s opening batsman Rohit Sharma scored his second successive century of the series. Following his 171 not out in the first ODI, Sharma scored 124 runs today, hitting 11 fours and three sixes.

Sharma struck big partnerships of 125 with Virat Kohli who scored 59 and 121 with Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 89 runs.

India could have posted a bigger total had they not lost heap of wickets in the final overs of their innings.

Despite posting a 300-plus score in the first ODI, Australia managed to chase down the target with ease.

Speaking after the match, Indian captain MS Dhoni praised the way Australia bowled in the last 10 overs.

“We tried our best to score but at the end of the day it's execution and I feel in the last 10 overs they bowled well,” he said.

“It's always a difficult one because when you keep losing wickets it become more and more difficult for new batsmen to come and in and straight away play the big shot, especially when the bowlers are executing their plans,” he said.

Scorecard:

India
Rohit Sharma run out 124
Shikhar Dhawan c Wade b Paris 6
Virat Kohli run out 59
Ajinkya Rahane c Smith b Faulkner 89
M.S. Dhoni c Maxwell b Boland 11
Manish Pandey c Paris b Faulkner 6
Ravindra Jadeja run out 5
R. Ashwin c Boland b Hastings 1
Umesh Yadav not out 0
Extras: 7
Total: (8 wickets, 50 overs) 308

Bowling: Paris 8-0-40-1, Richardson 8-1-61-0, Hastings 8-0-46-1, Boland 10-0-64-1, Maxwell 6-0-33-0, Faulkner 10-0-64-2

Australia
Aaron Finch c Rahane b Jadeja 71
Shaun Marsh c Kohli b I. Sharma 71
Steve Smith b Yadav 46
George Bailey not out 76
Glenn Maxwell not out 26

Extras: 19

Total (3 wickets: 49 overs) 309

Bowling: Sran 9-1-51-0, I. Sharma 10-0-60-1, Yadav 10-0-74-1, Jadeja 9-0-50-1, Ashwin 10-0-60-0, Kohli 1-0-7-0