Steve Smith scores 105 as Australia set India 329 to win World Cup semi

 

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Steve Smith shows his form with an exquisite drive in World Cup semi-final

Steve Smith hit 105 as Australia set India a target of 329 to chase in the second World Cup semi-final in Sydney.

Smith passed fifty for the fourth consecutive World Cup game to match David Boon’s record for Australia, before racing through to three figures off just 89 balls.
Aaron Finch also hit 81 but some aggressive fast bowling from Umesh Yadav (4-72) and Mohit Sharma (2-75) helped India fight their way back into the contest.
It needed a late cameo from Mitchell Johnson’s, who plundered 27 off nine balls, to help Australia to 328-7 from their 50 overs.
Australia won the toss and chose to bat first in front of a packed crowd at the SCG but lost David Warner (12) early on to Yadav.

Steve Smith's century helped Australia set India a target of 329 in the semi-final of the Cricket World Cup

Finch – who has struggled since his 135 in the first game of tournament against England – was scratchy again at the start of his innings but the fluent form of Smith helped him find his feet and the pair put on a 182-run partnership for the second wicket.
It was Smith who fell in the 34th over, shortly after bringing up his fourth ODI ton – a Yadav bouncer that Smith failed to control, sending a top edge to Rohit Sharma at square leg.
With a solid platform built, Australia sent in Maxwell (23 off 14 balls) above their captain Michael Clarke, but his wicket to Ravichandran Ashwin (1-42) opened the door for India.
His wicket was the first of three to fall for just 16 runs across 30 balls as Finch and Clarke (10) also fell to short balls from Yadav and Sharma respectively.
Shane Watson (28 off 30) and James Faulkner (21 off 12) counter-attacked, adding 36 together, and then Mitchell Johnson’s 27 of just nine balls helped Australia well beyond 300.
At one stage a score of around 350 looked possible for Australia so India will be reasonably happy with the way they dragged things back, but they still face a tough chase of 329 to try and reach Sunday’s final in Melbourne.