Cricket: Australia destroy India with 18 overs to spare

Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds added 122 from 97 balls to lift Australia to a five-wicket win over India in the triangular series one-day cricket international in Perth last night.

The pair came together at 37-3with Australia chasing 204 to win and proceeded to take the sting out of the India attack with a stunning exhibition of big hitting.

Symonds made 73 and Gilchrist 75 before Australia eased home with 18 overs to spare.

Australia and India have already qualified for the best-of-three finals series which starts in Melbourne on Friday. Zimbabwe, who are without a win in the series, will play India in Perth tomorrow in their last game.

SCOREBOARD

India

V. Sehwag c Lee b Gillespie 32

S. Tendulkar c Hayden b Lee 5

V. Laxman c Gilchrist b Lee 1

R. Dravid c Hussey b Williams 13

S. Ganguly c Gilchrist b Bichel 1

Y. Singh c Gilchrist b Symonds 47

R. Gavaskar b Lee 6

A. Agarkar run out 9

I. Pathan c Bichel b Symonds 20

M. Kartik not out 32

L. Balaji run out 11

Extras (7lb, 3nb, 16w) 26

Total (49 overs) 203

Fall: 1/20, 2/32, 3/50, 4/57, 5/79, 6/101, 7/129, 8/142, 9/172.

Bowling: J. Gillespie 10-0-51-1 (2w), B. Lee 10-2-22-3 (3nb, 1w), B. Williams 7-2-23-1 (7w), A. Bichel 7-0-44-1, A. Symonds 10-0-37-2 (5w), M. Hussey 3-0-15-0 (1w), M. Clarke 2-0-4-0.

Australia

A. Gilchrist c Balaji b Irfan 75

M. Hayden c Gavaskar b Agarkar 0

D. Martyn c Laxman b Agarkar 2

M. Clarke c Sehwag b Balaji 2

A. Symonds c Laxman b Irfan 73

S. Katich not out 18

M. Hussey not out 17

Extras (1b, 2lb, 14w) 17

Total (for 5 wkts, 32 overs) 204

Fall: 14, 16, 37, 159, 165.

Bowling: Agarkar 9-0-56-2 (6w), Pathan 8-0-69-2 (6w), Balaji 10-1-37-1 (1w), Kartik 5-0-39-0 (1w).

Result: Australia won by five wickets.