Badani's century guides India to one-run win

A fine century by Hemang Badani helped India to an exciting one-run victory over an Australian Prime Minister's XI, led by Steve Waugh, in a one-day tour match in Canberra on Wednesday.

Badani was bowled for 100 by Andrew McDonald off the last ball of India's innings of 254 for eight from 50 overs.

The 27-year-old left-hander hit eight fours and two sixes, reaching his century in 119 balls at the Manuka Oval.

The home side replied with 253 for six from their 50 overs.

Opener Marcus North made 74 and local Cade Brown hit 80, while wicketkeeper Chris Hartley smashed an unbeaten 45 from 43 balls.

Earlier, McDonald claimed the wickets of Rohan Gavaskar, for 26, and Ajit Agarkar, for five, as he took three for 70 from nine overs.

Waugh, who retired as Australia captain earlier this month, took one for five with his seamers, but contributed only seven runs with the bat.

India and Australia have already qualified for the finals of the triangular one-day series, which also involves Zimbabwe.

Australia play Zimbabwe in Melbourne on Thursday in the 10th match of the 12-game round-robin series, while India's next match is against the hosts in Perth on Sunday.

The finals start on February 6.

Australian Prime Minister's XI: Steve Waugh (captain), Matthew Bradley, Cade Brown, Mark Cleary, Xavier Doherty, Chris Hartley, David Hussey, Andrew McDonald, Marcus North, Shaun Tait, Damien Wright.

India: Rahul Dravid (captain), Sanjay Bangar, Parthiv Patel, Rohan Gavaskar, Yuvraj Singh, Ajit Agarkar, Irfan Pathan, Murali Kartik, Hemang Badani, Ashish Nehra, Amit Bhandari.

Scorecard:

Indians innings
S Bangar  c McDonald b Doherty 33
P Patel c Wright b Cleary 19
H Badani b McDonald 100
R Gavaskar st Hartley b McDonald 26
Yuvraj Singh run out 16
R Dravid c Waugh b Wright 15
A Agarkar c Brown b McDonald 5
I Pathan c Cleary b Waugh 1
M Kartik not out 12

Extras: (lb 6, w 20, nb 1) 27

Total: (50 overs) 254-8

Did not bat: A Bhandari, A Nehra.

Fall of wickets: 1-36 (Patel, 10.5 ov), 2-96 (Bangar, 21.2 ov), 3-150 (Gavaskar, 34.3 ov), 4-177 (Yuvraj Singh, 39.3 ov), 5-219 (Dravid, 45.3 ov), 6-230 (Agarkar, 47.3 ov), 7-240 (Pathan, 48.1 ov), 8-254 (Badani, 49.6 ov).

Bowling: Tait 10-0-48-0, Wright 10-0-51-1, Cleary 10-1-32-1, McDonald 9-0-70-3, Doherty 10-0-42-1, Waugh 1-0-5-1

Australia PM's XI
M.Bradley c Kartik b Bhandari 12
M.North c Nehra b Bangar 74
D.Hussey c Patel b Nehra 9
C.Brown c Badani b Nehra 80
S.Waugh c Pathan b Kartik 7
C.Hartley not out 45
A.McDonald c Nehra b Bhandari 8
M.Cleary not out 0.

Extras: (b-6, lb-7, nb-1, w-4) 18

Total: (for six wickets, 50 overs) 253

Did not bat: X.Doherty, S.Tait, D.Wright.

Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-59, 3-143, 4-175, 5-203, 6-252.

Bowling: Nehra 10-2-41-2, Bhandari 8-0-50-2 (w-1), Pathan 11-0-47-0 (w-1), Bangar 10-0-50-1 (w-2), Kartik 10-1-43-1 (nb-1), Badani 1-0-9-0.

Result: India won by one run.