Aussie media hails series victory; calls India 'upstart rivals'

Australia took an unassailable 4-2 lead in the seven-match series after their six-wicket victory in Guwahati yesterday, and the media here lauded Ricky Ponting’s men for the way they tamed India despite being ravaged by injury to some of their top players before and during the tour.

The series win also dashed India’s ambition of dethroning Australia from the top position in the International Cricket Council ODI rankings.

“Courageous Australia remain cricket’s one-day kings after crushing upstart rivals India in a ruthless show of strength,” screamed a write-up in the ‘Courier Mail’.
“India’s bold ambition to send Ricky Ponting’s men home without the number one ranking proved hollow with Australia’s six-wicket victory sealing the series and one-day bragging rights,” it said.
Headlined ‘Jubilant Aussies take series over India’, ‘Herald Sun’ newspaper said the series win by Ponting’s men would be more devastating to Indian psyche as it had come with a “virtual Australia A side”.
“Dhoni’s side will be licking its wounds for a while after being bashed by a virtual Australia ‘A’ side, short of frontline names but big on heart,” it said.

“The loss of Brett Lee, Peter Siddle, Tim Paine, James Hopes and Moises Henriques only served to galvanise Ponting’s unit. Australia has depth in young talent who will not only hold the line as reinforcements but win battles of their own,” the article in the ‘Herald Sun’ said.
“Ponting’s injury-hit squad of ‘home brand’ warriors put India back in their box, dealing a huge psychological blow to their psyche,” it added.
‘The Age’ lauded Ponting’s men for keeping Australia’s 13-year undefeated ODI series run in India intact.
“Australia will fly out this week with both its number one ranking and 13-year unbeaten run in one-day series here intact, after taking an unassailable 4-2 lead over India,” the newspaper said.
“Forty-five minutes of lethal new-ball bowling from Doug Bollinger and Mitchell Johnson paved the way for the six-wicket win at the Nehru Stadium at Guwahati,” it added.