Read the article of Australia vs India 8th Match Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1986 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the 8th ODI match played between India and Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney in 21st January 1986.
Geoff Marsh's career-best 125, David Boon and Allan Border's half-centuries sets up to Australia resounding 100-run victory over India, despite a Sunil Gavaskar's career-best unbeaten 92 in the eighth match of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
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Australia scored 292-6 in 50 overs with top scorer by Geoff Marsh hit a career-best 125 off 145-balls - which was his 1st ODI hundred - including 11-fours.
David Boon cracked a 83 off 104-balls including 5-fours and Allan Border scored 52 off 42-balls included a boundary.
India best bowler by Chetan Sharma picked up 3-wickets and Ravi Shastri took one-wicket.
India scored 192-4 in 50 overs with top scorer by Sunil Gavaskar hit a career-best unbeaten 92 off 144-balls including four boundaries.
Kapil Dev scored 28 off 39-balls including a six, Kris Srikkanth 20, Mohammad Azharuddin 17 not out and Mohinder Amarnath 16.
Australia best bowler by Dave Gilbert took 2-wickets and one for Simon Davis - Greg Matthews.
This match reported by Greg Growden (Third Party Reference from SMH)
The Indian cricketers got the placid wicket they asked for at the Sydney Cricket Ground last night - but the end result was definitely not to their liking.
The Indians were annihilated by Australia in the Benson and Hedges World Series Cup match.
After a resourceful century by leg-weary Australian opener Geoff Marsh, India were faced with the mammoth total of 293 to win, India eventually succumbed at 4-192 in their 50 overs.
On Monday Indian captain Kapil Dev and team manager Srinivas Venkataraghavan called for harder and flatter wickets during the one-day series, after several games in which bowlers dominated.
But the Australian team, and not the Indians, relished the concrete-like SCG track, ensuring victory with a flurry of shots.
To add insult to injury the Indian batsmen came to a halt at the crease in the final few overs.
This go-slow tactic, which resulted in Sunil Gavaskar being booed by a section of the crowd as he neared his century, deeply upset Dev.
The Indian captain realised his team must keep their run-rate healthy in case they finish on level points with New Zealand at the end of the WSC series, when a finals berth could be decided on run-rates.
"Our batsman didn't go on with it, and I don't know why," Dev said after the match.
"We knew in the dressing-room that we had to keep the run-rate up, and when I got out I told them to keep going, but they didn't" Even though Gavaskar scored his highest limited-over score of 92 not out, he received few cheers from the crowd when he left the field.
Australian captain Allan Border was also stunned by the Indians' tactics. "I must admit I was surprised they didn't go for them a little bit more. Still, that's their problem, not ours," Border said.
Australia are at the top of the WSC ladder with nine points from six games, yet Border wants Australia to win "one more game" to guarantee their final spot.
The Indians were put in such a situation of despair by great batting by Man-of-the-Match Geoff Marsh, David Boon and Border.
Marsh, who scored a resolute 125 in 195 minutes, has been constantly criticised for his stodgy batting approach in the one-day game. He was anything but stodgy.
Marsh's intentions were immediately obvious when he hit a perfect cover drive to the boundary with the first ball of the day off Dev. He relentlessly punished anything wayward, playing some memorable off-side shots.
Marsh received able support from Boon (83) and Border (52). Halfway through running the single for his three figures, the nearly exhausted Marsh thrust his fists into the air and gave the Australian dressing-room a special wave.
Border happily raced up the wicket to back-slap him for his first century for Australia. "Scoring 100 for Australia any time is a great thrill," Marsh said later.
He and Boon had earlier combined in a 152-run opening partnership.
In a perfect display of aggressive and sensible one-day batting, Marsh and Border scored 121 runs for the second wicket in the incredible time of 67 minutes. Later Marsh was given the honour of bowling the last over of the game, with his on-length off-spinners.
The Indian innings also had its fair share of excitable moments, with Krish Srikkanth and Dev hitting enormous sixes.
Dev hit his into the top deck of the Members' Stand off the bowling of Greg Matthews, but was out next ball when he tried another hoick. That was the end for India.
Because of some tight bowling from Bruce Reid (0-28) and Dave Gilbert (2-36) especially, the Indi- ans always found the target beyond them.
Gavaskar worked as the backbone of the innings but was unable to find a stable partner.
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