07 April,2009 06:09 PM IST | | PTI
Skipper Ashok Menaria played a captain's knock, scoring an unbeaten 63 runs to help the Indian under-19 team thrash their Australian counterparts by seven wickets in the opener of the five-match limited overs tournament at the Bellerive Oval today.
Electing to bat, Australia were skittled out for a paltry 168 in 48 overs and India chased the required runs with five overs to spare. The Indian pacers restricted the hosts with some disciplined bowling while the spinners kept up the pressure on the Australian middle-order with some tight line and length.
Manan Sharma was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3 for 24 from his six overs of left-arm orthodox spin.
In reply, the tourists got off to a steady start moving to 1-48 before Victorian speedster Jackson Coleman struck twice, snaring the wickets of Avi Barath (13) and Mukul Dagar (31), before finishing with figures of 2-21.
But Menaria led the assault with an unbeaten 63 from 91 deliveries which also earned him the Player of the Match award. He got good support from Harpreet Singh (38 not out) as the pair guided the team home with an unbroken 79-run partnership.
Coleman could have had another wicket had he not bowled Barath on a free-hit delivery during the 14th over.
Earlier, South Australian Joel Garrett top scored for the home side with an well compiled 29, however with another three batters out in the 20s and another four out between 10 and 20, the hosts lost wickets at steady intervals to some tight bowling from the Indian spinners.
Tom Beaton and Nic Maddinson (26 from 53) got the innings off to a solid start with a 41-run opening partnership, as Beaton (22 off 26) looked to accelerate early with some lusty blows down the ground.
Although disappointed with the opening loss, Coleman was confident the home side would find the right ingredients ahead of the next match on Thursday.
India under-19 team now leads the five-match series 1-0 ahead of the second 50-over-aside match at Bellerive on Thursday.
