Watch the highlights of Australia vs India 3rd Match Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1980/81 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the 3rd ODI match played between India and Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne in 06th December 1980.
Debutant Sandeep Patil's debut half-century and Syed Kirmani's superb unbeaten 48 before Debutants Dilip Joshi and Roger Binny's combined 5-wickets helped to India registered their historic first ODI win against Australia by record 66-runs in the third match of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
Match Stats :
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INDIA scored 208/9 (49 Overs) with top scorer by Sandeep Patil 64 (70) and Syed Kirmani * 48 (52)
Australia best bowler by Dennis Lillee 2/22 (7) and Greg Chappell 2/32 (8)
AUSTRALIA scored 142 for all-out (42.1 Overs) with top scorer by Kim Hughes 35 (53) and Doug Walters 27 (31)
India best bowler by Dilip Doshi 3/32 (10) and Roger Binny 2/23 (6)
This match reported by Brian Mossop (Third Party Reference from SMH)
A sub-standard wicket and three dropped catches combined to send Australia crashing to defeat in the first Benson and Hedges World Series Cup match against India at the MCG.
Australia managed only 142 runs in reply to India's 208 for nine after Captain Greg Chappell won the toss. India won by 66 runs, dismissing Australia for 142 runs in 42.1 overs after recovering from a slump that lifted them from 73-5 to 208-9 off 49 overs.
A crowd of 17,411 saw Greg Chappell send India in after winning the toss and have them struggling front the opening overs. But the advantage that the Australians appeared to enjoy from the early start, the dew and the moisture in the wicket, evaporated as the match progressed. So much so that Chappell lodged a written protest with the Australian Cricket Board Last night, seeking an immediate improvement in both the wicket and the practice facilities at the MCG.
"The wicket was disappointing to say the least," Chappell said, "Our performance matched the conditions. But if I had the decision to make again, I would bat first.
"All of this might sound like sour grapes because we lost, but the Indians feel the same way. The 'wicket got slower and slower as the match went on. You could not play a forcing shot on it,
"It is not even level. It Is like a sand dune. I would hope that something immediate can be done. I'm not looking forward to playing on it again."
The Australians will have to do just that tomorrow when they meet New Zealand in another limited-over cup preliminary. But while the wicket was a disgrace. Australia's fielding and bowling left a lot to be desired.
India's saviours were Sandip Patil and wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani who restored the fibre to their team's innings with a seventh wicket partnership of 92 that lifted the total past an acceptable 200.
Patil, the man of the match, made 64 and Kirmani an unbeaten 48 - scores that in the end meant the difference between winning and losing.
But it was Dennis Lillee, the Australian fast bowling champion, who contributed heavily to India's success by dropping Patil three- times at vital stages of the match.
Lilee later injured his left ankle while fielding to cast doubts on his fitness to play against New Zealand tomorrow.
Patil, a punishing batsman with power all round the wicket, is also a keen, if not too adept, hooker of the ball. But he got away with the shot.
Three times he hooked Geoff Lawson and, three times Lillee had the ball in his hands only to spill it — when Patil was on 18, 26 and 30. Anyone of the catches would have had India in real bother.
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