All-round Watson powers Aussie victory

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Mohali: Let down by the batsmen, India slumped to a 24-run defeat in the fourth one-dayer that not only allowed Australia to level the seven-match cricket series 2-2 but also prolonged the hosts' wait to become the number one ODI team in the world here on Monday.

Chasing 251, India got off to a flier with Virender Sehwag (30 off 19 balls) looking eager to wrap up the issue and Sachin Tendulkar (40) going great guns.

But their undoing was no less spectacular as the middle and lower could not forge a single significant partnership and the team folded for 226 in 46.4 overs.

Earlier put into bat, Australia stitched together half-centuries from Ponting (52) and White (62) and cameos from Shane Watson (49) and Michael Hussey (40) to reach 250 before wilting in 49.2 overs.

India's chase got off to a blazing start with Sehwag displaying the kind of power-hitting on which he has built his career around.

The first ball raced to the fence off his blade faster than it had arrived and it was a bad omen for Mitchell Johnson.

It was too good to last for long and relief for Australia came soon when Sehwag fell to Doug Bollinger in the seventh over and Virat Kohli (10), replacing Gautam Gambhir, squandered yet another opportunity to impress, leaving India at 78 for two.

With Sachin Tendulkar in pursuit of yet another batting milestone -- 47 runs separated him from the 17,000 mark when he walked out -- and looking in good nick, the crowd had enough to look forward to till an Ashoka de Silva howler spoiled their party.

Fluent initially and aware of the imminent milestone as he approached it, Tendulkar was hit on the pad by an innocuous Nathan Hauritz delivery that was missing the leg stump but de Silva raised his dreaded finger to send groans across the chock-a-block stadium.

At 94 for three, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (26) and Yuvraj Singh (12) had a task uncannily similar to the one they had accomplished in the previous match in Delhi but this time their association was nipped in the bud by a Ricky Ponting direct throw that sent back Yuvraj.

Dhoni then became Bollinger's third victim, Hauritz castled Suresh Raina (17) and Ravindra Jadeja (7) ran himself out, leaving India gasping at 177 for seven in the 39th over.

Down the order Harbhajan Singh's 25-ball 35 -- like the series opener in Vadodara -- was entertaining but not clinching.

Earlier, fluent half-centuries from Ricky Ponting (52) and Cameron White (62) and brisk cameos from Shane Watson (49) and Michael Hussey (40) guided laid the perfect foundation for an imposing total before Australia ran out of steam and wilted in the end.

Going strong at 196 for three, Australia came unstuck towards the end and fumbled in the batting powerplay, which cost them four wickets earning just 27 runs, before eventually folding in 49.2 overs.

Ashish Nehra (3/37) was pick of the Indian bowlers, while Harbhajan Singh also grabbed a couple of wickets.

The spate of injuries to key players had forced Ponting to open in Delhi but the Australia skipper could afford to return to his usual number three spot today as Shaun Marsh replaced Adam Voges in the playing XI.

Marsh, who dons Kings XI Punjab jersey in the Indian Premier League and hence a popular with the locals, could not make the most of the opportunity and was back in the hut in the eighth over with just five runs against his name.

Ponting looked in sublime touch and he made a statement of intent when he pulled the first delivery he faced -- Nehra was the bowler -- for a boundary, a shot sheerly out of the top drawer.

Dhoni unleashed Ishant Sharma, hoping the beanpole pacer would once again torment the Australian captain like he had done in the past but Ponting was in no mood to oblige.

The Tasmanian was quick to assert himself and he nonchalantly hit his nemesis over long-on for a neat six, following it with a boundary that nearly cleared the long-off ropes.

Watson, who looked scrappy initially, also grew in confidence and opened up, picking boundaries off Praveen and Ishant.

The duo had added 64 runs to lend stability when Dhoni pressed Harbhajan Singh into service and collaborated with the spinner to remove Watson off Harbhajan's first delivery.

It was a thick edge off Watson's blade that gently nestled into Dhoni's anticipating gloves, leaving the batsman just one run short of a half-century that looked so imminent.

Ponting didn't allow the setback to bog him down and played with blithe abandon, using his feet against the spinner and sweeping with elan. One such swept boundary off Harbhajan brought up his fifty but Ponting returned soon, beaten by Ravindra Jadeja's direct throw, much to Dhoni's relief.

Back in the dressing room, Ponting, however, had the satisfaction of watching Hussey and White continuing the good work with some sensible cricket during their 73-run stand.

In-form Hussey, on his part, negotiated the spinners with aplomb and once stepped out to hit Yuvraj over the ropes.

Hussey was looking good for his fifty when he holed out to Ishant, trying to hit Yuvraj out of the ground.

Australia lost White just after they had taken the batting powerplay with Nehra collecting a Mitchell Johnson drive off his own bowling and breaking the stump at non-striker's end with White short of ground.

With Mitchell Johnson (8) doing precious nothing to enhance his all-rounder claim, Australia barely managed to reach the 250-mark.