The sensational Starc and the mighty Marsh lead the way as the Aussies roll over India
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A masterclass from Mitchell Starc and a T20-style shot from Mitchell Marsh led Australia to a stunning 10-wicket ODI victory over India in a match that lasted just 37 overs.
Starc went 5-53 from eight overs in Sunday’s Vizag clash to bowl India with just 117 in 26 overs.
In response, Marsh cracked six sixes and six fours en route to a 36-ball 66, with Travis Head (30-ball 51) a handy ally.
Australia reached the winning goal in just 11 overs.
The result evened out the three-game series 1-1 and headed into the final on Wednesday in Chennai.
Mitchell Starc of Australia celebrates the wicket of Suryakumar Yadav of India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
Marsh only opened in the first two games due to the absence of David Warner, who missed the first game to give him more time to recover from a hairline fracture in his elbow.
Warner was scheduled to play on Sunday, but a corked quad stopped him from doing so.
Marsh hit 81 of 65 balls in Friday’s five-wicket loss to India and he continued India’s attack in the second game.
Australia’s hot form as a starter has given them pause for thought ahead of this year’s World Cup in India.
The highlight of Sunday’s game belonged to Steve Smith, who dived right on the first full-length slip to land a stunning one-handed catch and send Hardik Pandya for one.
Smith was airborne and horizontal when he made the catch, and the assistant skipper was bullied by his teammates in the aftermath.
Although Marsh and Head provided the fireworks with the bat, it was Starc who set up the win with a stunning display.
The left arm started the destruction in the opening by enticing Shubman Gill (0) into a loose shot while Marnus Labuschagne devoured the catch at the back point.
Smith gave Starc his second wicket with a juggling attempt to sack Rohit Sharma for 13.
And when Suryakumar Yadav was sent off by Starc for a golden duck in the second game in a row, the Aussie pace ace had a hat-trick.
KL Rahul blocked the hat trick ball but was caught in front by Starc a short time later, reducing India to 4-48.
Smith’s stunner in a slip – after Sean Abbott bowled – made it 5-49, and Nathan Ellis snatched the prized scalps of Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja (16) as India plummeted to 7-91 in the 20th over.
Starc was beaten for consecutive sixes by Axar Patel when he returned for another spell, but finished the innings by bowling Mohammed Siraj.
Only Waqar Younis (13) and Muttiah Muralitharan (10) have more five-wicket moves in ODI cricket than Starc’s nine.
“We saw a Mitch clinic there today, like we’ve seen before,” Abbott said of Starc’s exploits.
Abbott (3-23) and Nathan Ellis (2-13) produced handy cameos.
Virat Kohli (31) was the top scorer for his side while Patel (29) was the only other batsman to fight back.
It was India’s third lowest overall ODI against Australia, behind 63 at the SCG in 1981 and 100 also at Sydney in 2000.
It was also India’s fourth lowest total of ODIs in India compared to any other.
© AAP
https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/03/19/two-mitches-are-better-than-one-sensational-starc-mighty-marsh-lead-the-way-as-aussies-steamroll-india/ The sensational Starc and the mighty Marsh lead the way as the Aussies roll over India
