Explosive centuries by David Warner and Glenn Maxwell helped Australia gallop to 371 over a lacklustre India in the World Cup warm-up match at the Adelaide Oval.
Warner's innings provided the platform for Maxwell to launch from at the back end of the innings in a match that is not an official ODI. Less fluent was the acting captain George Bailey, who played in fits and starts during his 44, as he grows more likely to be the man to make way when Michael Clarke is passed fit after hamstring surgery.
Clarke is not taking part in this match, but is on track to play against UAE at the MCG on Wednesday and then take his place in the World Cup team proper for their second pool match against Bangladesh in Brisbane on February 21.
Warner and Finch made a sound start after Bailey had won the toss, rattling to 62 inside nine overs before Finch shovelled Stuart Binny to mid-on. Shane Watson also made a start before miscuing a pull shot attempt at Mohit Sharma, who has replaced Ishant Sharma in India's World Cup squad.
India's bowlers struggled to contain throughout, apart from a phase in which R Ashwin and Axar Patel put some clamp on the scoring by tying down Bailey. Warner's hundred arrived in 80 balls, though he never appeared to be rushing or straining for effect. A well-flighted delivery from Axar eventually did for him, but not before Australia had been given the ideal base for later acceleration.
Maxwell duly provided it with an innings of power and poise, even if his infatuation with the reverse sweep saw him try it no fewer then three times in a single over from Patel - two fours followed by a top-edge, and then an orthodox version of the sweep for six over midwicket.
Upon passing 50, Maxwell moved into full destruction mode, clattering the bowlers with something like impunity and rendering MS Dhoni powerless to protect the boundaries. By the time he retired on 122 from 57 deliveries, Maxwell's last 29 balls had reaped 88 runs.
India's fielding and bowling rather gave the impression that they are not fresh for a new tournament but jaded by more than 70 days without a win of any kind in Australia. The day after he reckoned India would be among the very best fielding sides at the tournament, Suresh Raina turfed a skier from Pat Cummins.
A late fade of the Australian innings meant they did not bat out 50 overs, the only real blemish to their effort.
(Cricinfo)
