India routs Oz by 243 runs in Champions Trophy warm-up

India had thrashed Australia by 243 runs in a Champions Trophy warm-up match after skittling out the defending champions for just 65 in Cardiff on Tuesday.

Indian quick Umesh Yadav did the bulk of the damage by taking the first five Australian wickets in just five overs, while fellow paceman Ishant Sharma bagged three for 11 against an Australia side where Shane Watson was given a rest from batting following his hundred in a warm-up match against the West Indies, The Dawn reports.

The report further said that only two Australia batsmen Adam Voges (23) and Phil Hughes (14) made it into double figures, with the innings all wrapped up in the 24th over.

Expressing disappointment over the game, George Bailey, captaining Australia in the absence of the injured Michael Clarke, said that although the team did not expect the game to go that way, he was thankful that it happened only during a practice match.

Praising the batting of Dinesh Karthik and Indian captain MS Dhoni, Bailey said that they had difficulty in getting the sixth and seventh wickets to secure that innings, adding that both India and Australia lost their top-order cheaply due to two new balls and challenging English conditions.

Expressing his satisfaction at the form of Karthik, Dhoni said that Karthik, who is Dhoni's understudy as wicket-keeper, is now ready to bat only when India open the tournament proper against South Africa in Cardiff on Thursday, adding that he was thinking of adding Karthik in the top-order when India plays against South Africa in the Champions Trophy opener.

Satisfied that all of the five bowlers in his team were able to get wickets, Dhoni further said that Yadav, being one of the quickest bowlers of the team, was able to hold the ball despite the two paced pitch.

This was Karthik's second century, albeit in warm-up matches, after his unbeaten 106 against Sri Lanka on June 1, the report added.