Maxwell leads Australia to series victory
AFP
AFP, MELBOURNE: Glenn Maxwell blasted 96 from just 83 deliveries to lead Australia to a thrilling three-wicket win over India in the third one-day international Sunday and a series victory.
After Australian captain Steve Smith won the toss at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and sent India in to bat, the visitors made 295 for six from their 50 overs thanks largely to a superb 117 from Virat Kohli.
The Indians were well in contention for their first win of the series when they had Australia in trouble at 215 for six. But Maxwell, who was out just one run short of victory, combined with James Faulkner to guide Australia home.
The wicket was quite slow so I had to try and hit the ball in front of square, Maxwell said.
I tried to hit them as clean as I could over cover and luckily enough they came off the middle.
The win gives Australia an unassailable three-nil lead in the best-of-five series, but the match was much more of a contest than the first two encounters in Perth and Brisbane.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said poor fielding had again cost his side.
Australia successfully chased down 309 and 308 in the opening two matches. On a lifeless MCG wicket, 295 did not look substantial enough to challenge the strong Australian batting line-up.
Australian openers Shaun Marsh and Aaron Finch attacked from the outset and cruised in the first few overs, punishing some wayward Indian bowling.
Australia raced to 48 before Finch edged Umesh Yadav to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for a quickfire 21.
Marsh (62) and Steve Smith (41) continued the assault, but left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja got the vital breakthrough when he had Smith caught at slip by Ajinkya Rahane.
Jadeja managed to extract some turn from the otherwise placid wicket and struck again when he got a ball to spin past the edge of George Baileys bat. Dhoni whipped off the bails to leave the Australians on 150 for three.
Brief scores
India: 295/6 IN 50 overs
Australia: 296/7 in 48.5 overs
