A VIOLENT electrical storm has added an element of suspense to the Champions Trophy, in which Australia must now defeat Pakistan on Wednesday to be assured of a semi-final position.
Australia's group match against India was abandoned after 42.3 overs on Monday when the heavens opened over Centurion, unleashing a spectacular rainstorm complete with deafening thunderclaps and sheets of lightning.
The Australians were in control of their innings at 4-234 when the downpour began after Tim Paine, Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey all reached half-centuries. They were denied the chance to tip India out of the tournament, but are still well-placed to progress to the last four. The 'no result' means Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men live to fight another day, but they must thrash the West Indies to boost their net run rate, and depend on arch-rival Pakistan defeating Australia, to make the semi-finals.
The only blemish on Australia's performance was Shane Watson's third consecutive duck at the top of the order, the consequence of an attempt to pull a delivery from Ashish Nehra, which ballooned up to Harbhajan Singh at mid-wicket.
Paine combined with his captain and fellow Tasmanian for a partnership of 87, displaying the willingness to attack and innovate that has made him a revelation while standing in for the injured wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. He took a particular fancy to India's out-of-form paceman Ishant Sharma, breaking the shackles imposed by Nehra and his new ball partner Praveen Kumar with a boundary through the off-side, a pulled six and a cover drive for four in Sharma's first over.
The 24-year-old advanced down the wicket to Sharma and tried to put the spinners off their rhythm with some well-executed sweep shots, but he tried one sweep too many to the leg-spin of Amit Mishra and top-edged to Harbhajan at mid-wicket for a brisk 56.
The scoring rate did not slow when Hussey took over, the veteran left-hander cruising to 67 at less than a run a ball while Ponting played a classical innings up the other end.
The skipper took particular delight in sending a decent delivery from Sharma through the covers for four, handling with ease the tall seamer who has tormented him in Test cricket over the past two years.
The biggest challenge to Ponting and Hussey was squinting through the dust that whipped over SuperSport Park after a change in the wind direction. And it took an act of brilliance in the field to get rid of the Australian captain, who was run out at the non-striker's end by a direct hit from the outfield by Gautam Gambhir for 65.
Cameron White and Callum Ferguson were looking to build a formidable total when the deluge came, and in the end India will be thankful to still be in the mix after losing their opening match to Pakistan, who have booked the second spot in the semi finals alongside England.
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