Tendulkar pyrotechnics not enough

Sachin Tendulkar makes use of his crease en route to 175, but his dismissal sparked a collapse as India fell three short

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Sachin Tendulkar fell three runs short of eclipsing his one-day international-best as Australia prevailed by the same margin to take a 3-2 lead in the seven-match series.

Tendulkar was at his sublime best en route to 175 from 141 deliveries, including 19 fours and a quartet of sixes, but his dismissal sparked a late-order collapse to silence a previously jubilant crowd in Hyderabad.

India were in sight of Australia’s 350 for four, built around Shaun Marsh’s maiden international century after an opening stand of 145 with Shane Watson, but they lost their last four wickets for five runs.

Tendulkar dominated a 137-run alliance with Suresh Raina to keep his side up with a demanding required rate and thoughts turned to an ODI-record 195.

Although Tendulkar’s batting partners showed no signs of refusing runs for his sake, the ‘little master’ took his eye off the ball with victory in sight.

The visitors chose to bat and began well, with Watson smearing the new-ball bowlers around as he reached his fifty from 40 deliveries.

Spinners Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh finally curbed Australia’s free-scoring, but wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni failed to grasp Marsh’s top-edge off Harbhajan on 29.

Yuvraj spilled a chance to snare Watson caught and bowled on 90, but he slog-swept Harbhajan straight to Ravindra Jadeja at deep-midwicket on 93 from 89 balls featuring nine fours and three maximums.

Marsh was again reprieved just after his half-century with Virender Sehwag making a mess of a straightforward chance at cover.

Praveen Kumar bowled Ponting for a run-a-ball 45, but Marsh began to score fluently - his second 50 came off 41 deliveries - and celebrated exuberantly after clipping Kumar for two to reach his century.

Praveen Kumar is run out coming back for second in the final over, when eight were needed, to hand Australia an epic win

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Marsh perished for 112 from as many deliveries, including eight fours and two sixes , well held at long-on by Gautam Gambhir off Ashish Nehra.

Cameron White and Mike Hussey kept up the momentum, adding 70 from the final 6.1 overs. White, caught off Australia’s final ball, flayed five maximums during 57 from 33 balls while Hussey mustered two en route to 31.

Virender Sehwag provided the initial thrust in India’s reply, clubbing a quickfire 38 before Doug Bollinger, who had grassed him on 21, held a fine catch running back from short fine-leg.

Debutant seamer Clint McKay struck vital blows to have Gambhir and Dhoni caught cheaply, the latter from a superb intercept by Voges at point.

Watson then had Yuvraj caught and bowled as the home side slipped to 162 for four.

Tendulkar, who had reached 17,000 ODI runs with this seventh today, opened up and smashed Nathan Hauritz for consecutive sixes.

Raina, dropped on nought by White, provided excellent support as Tendulkar reached his 45th ODI century from 81 deliveries and continued to flay the bowlers around.

Raina’s 12th ODI half-century came up with a towering six of McKay but the match turned when Watson had the left-hander and Harbhajan caught in the same over.

Jadeja’s snappy 23 kept the chase on course until he lost Tendulkar, who became McKay’s third victim when he lobbed a simple chance to Hauritz at short fine-leg.

India unravelled with Jadeja run out and Nehra caught off Bollinger and, with eight needed from the last over, Kumar was was fractionally short of his ground attempting a second run with two ball remaining.