World champions down and out
AUSTRALIA crash-tackled and shoulder-charged but it was India who last night finally up-ended the world champions with a tri-series finals whitewash.
The jubilant Indians finished their controversial tour in triumph with a nail-biting nine-run win at the Gabba to send Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist into retirement in defeat.
A career-best 63 from James Hopes ensured the second final went down to the wire with the home side needing 13 off the last over but he fell from the third-last ball.
Instead of a fitting one-day farewell for retiring wicketkeeper Gilchrist, it was controversial spinner Harbhajan Singh who laughed last and loudest, lapping up the triumph on the Gabba boundary in front of ecstatic expat fans.
Australia’s loss saw them crashing out of the best-of-three finals series in straight sets for the second consecutive season as they never fully recovered from another top-order collapse in chasing India’s 9-258.
Gilchrist lasted just three balls, walking for two after edging behind rookie Praveen Kumar in the first over, in his final international match. Swing discovery Kumar (4-46) proved the destroyer, the man of the match reducing Australia to 3-32 before a fightback by fishing mates Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds.
But just when the Queenslanders had got back on level ground with a free-wheeling 89-run stand, Harbhajan undid both within three balls.
Hayden (55 off 68) walked off, giving Symonds a gobful after a mid-pitch mix-up which finished with Harbhajan running out the opener.
Two balls later, India celebrated like they had the series wrapped up when the spinner trapped Symonds (42 off 56) plumb leg before.
It’s unclear whether Symonds will find himself in hot water for a rib-rattling shoulder charge on a streaker just after he came to the crease with his team in dire straits.
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Crash and bash: Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds unceremoniously deals with a Gabba streaker before taking to the Indian bowlers for 42 until sparring partner Harbhajan Singh had the final say.
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