Australia Beat India By 4 Runs

Australia 292-8 (Ponting 74, Hussey 73, Sharma 3-50) beat

India 288-8 (Gambhir 68, H Singh 49, Johnson 2-59) by four runs

October 26, 2009 - Four Australians scored half-centuries to set their side up for a four-run win over India in the first One-Day International in Vadodara, but they were made to work hard by the free-scoring Indian lower order which gave the match a thrilling finale.

Australia's 292 for eight saw them achieve victory when India were eventually restricted to 288 for eight having looked down and out of the contest when they were reduced to 201 for seven in the 40th over.

Australia 's top order of Ricky Ponting (74), Michael Hussey (73), Cameron White (51) and Tim Paine (50) frustrated India after they had got rid of Shane Watson early when he was trapped in front by Ashish Nehra for five.

The next three wickets put on 222 runs but India did hit back late on with Ishant Sharma dismissing Paine (his 50th ODI wicket), Hussey and Brett Lee (0) to finish with three for 50 while Nehra also had White caught by Suresh Raina to return two for 58.

Praveen Kumar bowled ten overs for 77 while left-arm spinner Ravi Jadeja, handed a recall, bowled nine tidy overs to return one for 43, capturing the prize wicket of Ponting, lbw in the 30th over.

In reply, India lost openers Virender Sehwag (13) and Sachin Tendulkar (14) but a half-century partnership for the third wicket between Gautam Gambhir, who made 68, and Virat Kohli, who hit 30 kept the match on an even keel.

However, it was the batting Power Play that changed the complexion of the match as India lost three key wickets as Gambhir, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (34) and Suresh Raina (9) fell, Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson doing the damage.

Ravi Jadeja marked his return to the side with five before he was trapped in front by Nathan Hauritz and although Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar hit some lusty blows towards the end, they had been left too much to do but their stand of 74 in 57 balls for the eighth wicket kept India 's hopes alive.

Harbhajan picked up his 1000th ODI run in the penultimate over as he carved Watson for four behind square to leave India nine to win in six balls with Peter Siddle charged with closing the match out for Australia. He struck with the second ball to dismiss Harbhajan for 49 in 31 balls and with that India 's slim chances were shot.

Kumar ended unbeaten on 40 in 32 balls and Johnson finished with figures of two for 59, Watson two for 70 with Siddle, Lee, Voges and Hauritz taking one wicket apiece.

India welcomed back Sehwag from injury while Dhoni got over the knee injury he suffered in training while Australia picked Adam Voges to bat at number six in the absence of Callum Ferguson, the Western Australian making three before becoming Harbhajan's sole victim of the innings when he gave a catch to Gambhir.

The second match in the seven-match series is on 28th October in Nagpur .