Aussies take India apart

Nathan Bracken claimed 3-11 in 2.3 overs © Getty Images

Australia demolished India by nine wickets in their Twenty20 international after a devastating bowling display at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The hosts overhauled India’s measly total within 12 overs after the tourists were bowled out for 74, the second lowest score in Twenty20 history.

India simply had no answer to their opponents’ combination of stunning fielding, especially from captain Michael Clarke, and changes of pace from the bowlers.

Nathan Bracken was the pick of the bunch with 3-11, while Brett Lee took 1-13 and Adam Voges 2-5.

They laid the foundation for a relaxed batting display as Clarke and Adam Gilchrist set up the most comfortable of wins for Australia.

Clarke hit two boundaries, including a massive six down the ground off Sri Sreesanth, in an unbeaten 37.

He was lucky to survive after miscuing one shot straight up in the air, but Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan both went for the catch and ran into each other to sum up India’s woeful day.

Gilchrist, appearing in his last Twenty20 international before retiring, scored 25 before he holed out to Gautam Gambhir on the boundary off Praveen Kumar, allowing Brad Hodge to join Clarke at the crease and close out the contest.

Earlier four wickets fell in the opening four overs as Australia ripped into the India top order after the tourists had won the toss and decided to bat.

Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan drop a chance off Michael Clarke © Getty Images

Clarke set the tone by running out Virender Sehwag for a duck after a magnificent piece of fielding, diving to stop a cut at backward point that looked destined for the boundary before instantly leaping to his feet and hitting the stumps at the non-striker's end.

Nathan Bracken then sent Gambhir back to the pavilion for nine after the opener miscued a slower ball straight to James Hopes as he tried to go over the top.

Dinesh Karthik was fortunate to escape after he top-edged Lee over Gilchrist for four, but his luck was short-lived as Lee followed up with a full toss two balls later which beat Karthik for pace and removed his off stump.

Bracken’s slower ball struck accounted for Robin Uthappa, who spooned an easy catch to Michael Hussey with just a single to his name to leave the tourists reeling on 20 for four.

Rohit Sharma and Mahendra Dhoni briefly looked like they might steady the ship, but Hopes ended those thoughts by bowling Sharma for eight.

And Dhoni followed for a pedestrian nine as David Hussey celebrated his international debut with a wicket, Lee taking the catch on the boundary.

It was left to the tail to give the score a semblance of respectability and Pathan did his best to do so as he became the first Indian to make it to double figures.

But he lost another partner when Kumar went for six after hitting Ashley Noffke down the throat of Adam Voges.

Voges himself struck twice in the space of two balls to dismiss Harbhajan, brilliantly held diving to his right by Clarke, and Sreesanth, comfortably caught by Hodge.

Ishant Sharma survived the hat-trick ball with every fielder round the bat, but was soon caught by Gilchrist off Bracken to leave Pathan unbeaten on 26.