Luke Ronchi blasted an incendiary unbeaten 108 as Australia [Images] A ambled to a 17-run win over their Indian compatriots via the VJD [V Jayadevan] method in the rain-marred A Team Triangular Series in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

India A captain S Badrinath's decision to bat first was hardly vindicated as the hosts were shot out for 207 in 49.4 overs.

Ashley Noffke (4-39) and Shaun Tait (3-27) shared seven wickets among them, while for the hosts, only Yusuf Pathan (54), Praveen Kumar (31) and Abhishek Nayar (30) kept their reputation intact.

Chasing 208, Australia was off to a flying start with Ronchi and Phillip Hughes (47) tearing the Indian attack apart.

Though Yousuf Pathan sent back Hughes three runs shy of a well-deserved half-century in the 23rd over, David Hussey (8 not out) joined Ronchi in the middle as the visitors raced to 168 for 1 in 278 overs when heavens opened up, dropping early curtains on the proceedings.

The visitors were declared winners by 17 runs by the VJD method, devised by Kerala [Images] engineer V Jayadevan, which is being used for the domestic tournament.

It was a pathetic batting show by the star-studded Indian line-up, which looked in all sorts of trouble against Tait and Noffke.

Tait delivered a double blow in his second over, dismissing Robin Uthappa (2) and Suresh Raina (0) in the span of four deliveries to trigger a batting collapse.

Swapnil Asnodkar (23) could not convert the start while Badrinath (1), Rohit Sharma (15) and Dinesh Karthik [Images] (12) had their stay cut short by the pace duo of Noffke and Tait.

In fact, it was the 73-run stand between Yousuf Pathan and Abhishek Nayar that gave some respectability to the Indian total.

Once Noffke removed Nayar, another mini-collapse followed and but for Praveen's 27-ball 31 and Dhaval Kulkarni's gritty unbeaten 15 down the order, the hosts would not have crossed the 200-mark.

In reply, Australia began in whirlwind fashion with Ronchi, who plays for Mumbai Indians [Images] in the Indian Premier League [Images], in tremendous hurry to seal the match.

In the end, his belligerence made all the difference as Austraila A were declared winners by 17 runs.

Ronchi's unbeaten 108 came off 79 balls and included 13 hits to the fence, besides three towering sixes.

India A:
Robin Uthappa lbw Tait 2
Swapnil Asnodkar run out 23
Suresh Raina b Tait 0
S Badrinath c Ronchi b Tait 1
Rohit Sharma b Noffke 15
Dinesh Karthik b Noffke 12
Yusuf Pathan lbw White 54
Abhishek Nayar c Ronchi b Noffke 30
Piyush Chawla [Images] b White 12
Praveen Kumar b Noffke 31
Dhaval Kulkarni not out 15
Extras: (B-1, LB-1, W-9, NB-1) 12
Total: (all out in 49.4 overs) 207

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-5, 3-19, 4-39, 5-53, 6-67, 7-140, 8-159, 9-160.

Bowling: S Tait 9-1-27-3; B Geeves 10-0-41-0; A Noffke 9.4-1-39-4; XJ Doherty 10-0-40-0; CL White 8-0-43-2; DJ Hussey 3-0-15-0.

Australia A: (target: 152 runs from 36 overs under VJD  method)
Luke Ronchi not out 108
Phillip Hughes c Kulkarni b Pathan 47
David Hussey not out 8
Extras: (B-1, W-4) 5
Total: (For 1 wicket in 27 overs) 168

Fall of wicket: 1-129

Bowling: Praveen Kumar 5-0-24-0; Dhaval Kulkarni 4-1-21-0; Abhishek Nayar 4-0-30-0; Piyush Chawla 8-0-57-0; Yusuf Pathan  6-1-35-1.