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Australia scored just 89 runs in the first 22 overs. They even struggled against spin. Amit Mishra even toyed around with George Bailey and Shane Watson for a
couple of overs. Then Bailey hit R Ashwin for a six and a four, and India completely lost the plot. At times the bowling was so poor and not to their fields, it seemed India had only six or seven fielders on the park. The last 28 overs went for a colossal 261, Bailey smashed a host of records on his way to 114-ball 156, and Watson smashed his first century of the series.
R Ashwin's economy rate of 4.2 at the 22-over mark went to 6.4; Amit Mishra, playing his first ODI in India, went from 2.67 to 7.8; and Ravindra Jadeja's four an over became 6.8. Jadeja also bowled two no-balls that produced catches, the first one of which proved immensely costly. In the 17th over, with the batsmen shackled by the spinners, Watson went to slog-sweep him. The leading edge settled with cover-point, but replays revealed the tightest of no-balls: as Jadeja's toe landed, his heel - in the air - was over the line, and not behind it.
Had Jadeja not over-stepped then, Watson would have been out for 25 off 34, and Australia would have been 69 for 3. It would have spelled a lot of trouble for Australia because the two didn't quite seem comfortable against spin at that time. Neither was picking Mishra's googlies, and Australia had already allowed themselves to be under pressure with Aaron Finch getting bowled, trying to hoick the first Ashwin delivery.
In the 23th over, though, a switch seemed to have been flicked on. Bailey was 18 off 32 when he danced down the wicket to Ashwin and lofted him inside-out for four. The next ball he lofted straight over the bowler's head for a six. That was all it took to mess with the delicate equilibrium of Indian bowling. In the next over, Mishra gave Watson - 38 off 56 then - a long hop that was deposited behind deep midwicket.
The assault never halted after that. If India weren't providing them the poor deliveries, Watson and Bailey would play an excellent shot. They didn't need much of the latter, though. Watson's wind-up got bigger and bigger every delivery - you could imagine he was licking his lips too - and he would only eliminate the big hit if it was a really good ball. The ultra quick outfield didn't help India either.
By the time India went back to bowlers with longer run-ups - and this pitch had turn, mind you - both the batsmen had posted their fifties, Bailey had broken the records for most runs in a bilateral series by an Australian or a captain, and Australia had reached 188 in 32 overs. Virat Kohli failed to bring any control, and Mohammed Shami's return brought three loose deliveries and three consecutive boundaries to bring up Watson's hundred.
Shami got Watson next ball, but Bailey was only warming up. He was 74 off 66 when Watson got out, saw Glenn Maxwell walk back soon trying to get more quick runs, but didn't slow down. And he didn't seem to be taking any risks either. The pull was his favourite food, and the straight loft his drink. Indian bowlers provided enough errors of length to allow him both the shots. Eighty-two of his runs came between midwicket and long-on.
More landmarks were due. Apart from becoming the second-fastest batsman to 1,500 runs and posting 1,000 in this year alone, Bailey overtook Misbah-ul-Haq as the leading run-getter this year. Now all he needed was for his bowlers to defend the total, which could result in a series win that could mean a possible early flight back so he can prepare for the Ashes.
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