BANGALORE, March 16 (PTI): A record 183-run opening partnership between Shane Watson and Brad Haddin propelled Australia to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Canada in a Group A match of the World Cup here today.
Chasing 212 for victory after Canada skipper Ashish Bagai elected to bat first, Australia rode on Watson and Haddin�s huge partnership to reach the target in 34.5 overs and extend their winning run in World Cups to 34 matches. This was Australia�s best opening stand in World Cups and also the best for the first wicket at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here. The previous record for the opening wicket at this venue was held by India�s Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, who put on 169 runs against New Zealand in 1997.
Watson smashed 94 off 90 balls with the help of nine boundaries and four sixes, while Haddin�s 88 came off 84 deliveries and contained 11 hits to the fence and two over it.
It wasn�t, however, a stroll in the park for the Aussies before Watson and Haddin decided to break free, as they were made to work hard for runs. Had Canada not messed up in the field, things could have got a bit tougher for Ricky Ponting and his men.
Rizwan Cheema gave Watson an early life when he dropped a skier at midon off Harvir Baidwan in the second over of the innings. And then, Nitish Kumar, running in from long-on towards deep mid wicket, spilled one off leg-spinner Balaji Rao. The benificiery again, was Watson.
Baidwan and his partner Henry Osinde bowled to a decent line and length in their opening spells, but luck, probably, was not on their side.
Both Watson and Haddin didn�t look flamboyant but were effective enough to deny the North Americans a breakthrough in the early part of the innings. But as the innings progressed, their partnership flourished, with both finding the ropes at regular intervals. And then, at will.
Haddin raised the tempo by lofting Rao over long-on for a six, and two over later, found the ropes twice off Osinde.
Haddin then picked Cheema for three boundaries in the 24th over. The first one was cheeky as it went off the edge, but the second boundary Haddin hit was an example of how make use of the batting powerplay.
With the field inside the circle, Haddin slapped Cheema on the up over covers and then flicked one backward square leg to take Australia closer to their target. Watson, before that, pulled Cheema behind square and, after watching his partner dealing in boundaries for a while, launched into Rao for two massive sixes.
The burly allrounder pulled a short one over deep midwicket and three deliveries later, slog-sweeped the leggie over wide long on for the second biggest six of the tournament. The mincement was not over as John Davison was sent packing over the long on, and then, Watson meted out the same treatment to Hiral Patel�s dibbly dobblers.
SCORECARD
CANADA
H Patel c Johnson b Watson 54
J Davison c Haddin b Lee 14
Z Surkari b Tait 34
A Bagai c Haddin b Tait 39
J Hansra c Lee b Krejza 3
R Cheema b Lee 2
N Kumar c Tait b Johnson 7
K Whatham b Lee 18
HS Baidwan c Ponting b Krejza 17
W Balaji Rao b Lee 5
H Osinde not out 2
Extras: (LB-4, W-11, NB-1) 16
Total: (all out in 45.4 overs) 211
Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-82, 3-150, 4-157, 5-157, 6-161, 7-169, 8-195, 9-204.
Bowling: S Tait 8-1-34-2, B Lee 8.4-0-46-4, M Johnson 10-0-43-1, S Watson 6-0-22-1, J Krejza 10-0-44-2, S Smith 3-0-18-0.
AUSTRALIA
S Watson c Osinde b Baidwan 94
B Haddin c Bagai b Davison 88
R Ponting c Davison b Osinde 7
M Clarke not out 16
C White not out 4
Extras: (LB-1, W-2) 3
Total: (for 3 wickets in 34.5 overs) 212
Fall of wickets: 1-183, 2-185, 3-207.
Bowling: H Osinde 9.5-0-53-1, H Baidwan 10-1-41-1, W Balaji Rao 7-0-46-0, Rizwan Cheema 3-0-23-0, J Davison 4-0-29-1, H Patel 1-0-19-0.
