One Day International match two, Australia ($1.35 with CrownBet.com.au) vs. India ($3.20 with CrownBet.com.au)
Friday, January 15, 2015, 2.20pm, Gabba, Brisbane, watch on Nine Network
Australia leads the series 1-0
FIRST blood to Australia.
And they have none other than their inspirational captain Steve Smith to thank for a brilliant chase of India’s imposing 3/309.
But it did not look anything like roses for the Aussies early on.
Their nemesis Rohit Sharma was at it again, clubbing 13 boundaries and seven sixes on his way to carrying his bat through the Indian innings for 171 off 163 balls at a strike rate of nearly 105.
It was the second massive ton by the Indian opener against Australia, joining his previous double century.
He partnered with the flamboyant Virat Kohli (91 off 97 balls) in a 207 run stand that looked like it would be a match winning effort.
Debutantes Scott Boland and Joel Paris had first games to forget, the former going at nearly 7.5 runs per over from his 10, without a wicket, while Paris opened up, but also went wicketless for 53 off his eight.
If those two had matches to forget, the same could not be said for Indian debutante and new cult figure Barinder “Barrie” Sran.
The Aussies looked in dire trouble when the tall seamer removed both opening batsmen with the score at just 21.
But that was where the joy ended for the Indians as Smith and former captain George Bailey went about resurrecting, consolidating and then accelerating the innings.
That pair eclipsed the Indians’ brilliant partnership, putting on a mammoth 241 runs before Bailey was dismissed for 112 of 12 balls, with seven fours and two sixes.
But this was the Smith show.
When the Aussie captain was removed by Sran (an impressive 3/56), there was just one run left to tie it and two to win.
He had compiled 149 off 135 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes, joining Kohli in one of the best batting duels seen on the WACA.
Smith was a deserved man of the match and it is his insatiable thirst for runs that has us running to our online bookies to back him in for the most runs in match two at the Gabba on Friday.
Smith is the $3.25 favourite with our friends at WIlliamHill.com.au.
The big thing about Smith is that he tends to score his runs in bunches. He once his seven half centuries in a row. If he’s tonned up, you know he is in form and you can expect plenty more runs to come off his bat.
Hard to believe that there was once doubt over whether he had the talent to make it in the top grade.
Just ask Mr Cricket Mike Hussey, who this week admitted he had reservations about Smith’s ability to become a great batsman and leader of the Australian side.
Smith is the reigning ICC Cricketer of the Year and Test Cricketer of the Year and is the number one Test batsman in the world.
“I always saw that the talent was there but I didn’t know whether the temperament was there,” Hussey said this week.
“When he first came in he was an impetuous young kid.
”He wanted to get there so fast and sometimes that impetuous nature got the better of him and I wasn’t sure if he could rein that in.
“But he’s obviously a smart kid.”
“You often hear in his interviews that he’s just looking to be a bit more patient, let the bowlers come to him a bit more, let a few more balls go and wait for them to come to him, all those sorts of things which is more about your temperament.
”I think that’s an area of his game that’s really improved from when I first saw him to now and that’s enabled him to give him the opportunity to be able to go and score all these big scores.
“The other thing that’s been amazing about him is how hungry for runs he is.
”He’s got that appetite for runs and for any batsman that’s a great thing to have.
“But to have it so consistently and want it all the time is just amazing sign of his character.”
And the tributes kept flowing, with fellow centurion George Bailey saying he is in awe of his captain.
“I’m in awe of him, absolutely,” Bailey said.
“It’s a bit demoralising batting with him to be honest, because he just makes it look very, very easy at times.
”But also it’s very impressive to see the hunger for runs.
“He probably finds it quite relaxing to be out in the middle, because it’s the one time he doesn’t have to captain – he just has to bat.”
Smith will have even more heat on him in this match, with star opener Warner already ruled out as he awaits the birth of his second child.
Without the master blaster at the top of the order, Smith could open, and he will be relied upon even more to produce.
Usman Khawaha is in similar superb form and he was the man called up to replace Warner in the one day squad. He is the $4 second favourite for most runs behind Smith, but he is no certainty to play, with Shaun Marsh ($5) the likely replacement.
For the Indians, the match one destroyers Kohli and Sharma share the favouritism at $3.75, with Ajikya Rahane – who did not bat in match one – the next best batsman at $5. Kohli’s opening partner dipped out in match one, but he is $5.50 to bounce back.
Steve Smith markets
Top run scorer Australia: $3.25 with WilliamHill.com.au
Top match run scorer: $5 with Sportsbet.com.au
Man of the match: $8 with CrownBet.com.au
Match result/top run scorer double: Australia/Smith $4.30 with Sportsbet.com.au
