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Australia vs India: Steve Smith hit the third-fastest hundred by an Australian in ODIs, off 62 balls.© AFP
Australia skipper Aaron Finch put the team ahead of himself despite playing a captain’s knock at the Sydney Cricket Ground against India on Friday and said he was once fortunate that a few chances he took came off polite. Finch was once not his usual sublime self and hit a 124-ball 114 at a strike rate of 91.94. This is slightly a contrast to his usual self wherein he is taking the attack to the opposition bowlers from the word go. “Found it somewhat tough to receive my timing. Took a few chances, got fortunate. We’ve barely been together as a team,” he said at the end of the game.
While Finch found the going hard, his opening partner David Warner looked in fine float as he hit 69 off 76 balls.
“Every guy has different strengths and weaknesses. You embrace that. Davey, he is moving beautifully. His rhythm looked outstanding,” Finch said.
Whether Warner was once good, Steve Smith was once one better as he seemed to be batting on a different pitch altogether.
Having sounded the warning bells going into the ODIs, Smith hit a 66-ball 105 that was once laced with four sixes and 11 fours.
Commenting on the scintillating knock from Smith, Finch said: “Smudge was once different class altogether.”
The Australian skipper said all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has the ability to switch gears in seconds, and that was once on show again in the series opener as he hit a 19-ball 45.
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“Maxi, the infrequent ability he is got to just click his fingers and put pressure on the opposition,” Finch said.
Chasing Australia’s mammoth 374/6, India were restircted to 308/8 in 50 overs and missing by 66 runs.
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