Australia hammer 350-4 in fifth ODI

Shaun Marsh struck a career-best 112 and Shane Watson an impressive 93 as Australia posted a huge 350-4 in the fifth one-day international against India here on Thursday.

Marsh, 26, shared 145 runs for the opening wicket with Watson and another 91 runs with captain Ricky Ponting (45) after the world champions won the toss and elected to bat in the day-night encounter at the Rajiv Gandhi stadium.

The left-handed opener clobbered eight fours and two sixes in his run-a-ball knock for his maiden one-day hundred, reached with a clipped two to deep square leg off paceman Ashish Nehra (1-79).

Watson too thrived in batsmen-friendly conditions, hitting nine fours and three sixes in his 89-ball effort before being caught at deep mid-wicket as he tried to slog sweep off-spinner Harbhajan Singh (1-44).

Cameron White then hit a sparkling 57 off 33 balls to complete a run-feast by the injury-hit Aussies, missing nine of their regular one-day players to various niggles.

India's bowlers were left with little answer to the Aussie onslaught, as reflected in the dismal figures of fast bowlers Nehra and Munaf Patel (0-73). Praveen Kumar picked two wickets but at the cost of 68 runs in nine overs.

The visitors were off to a flying start with Watson and Marsh laying the platform for the huge total with their aggressive stroke-making.

Marsh, dropped on 29 by wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and on 52 by Virender Sehwag, was finally dismissed by Nehra who had him caught by Gautam Gambhir at long-on.

Australia, who had only 13 fit players to choose from after five were sent home due to injuries, brought in newcomer Clint McKay, Adam Voges and Ben Hilfenhaus in place of Mitchell Johnson, Moises Henriques and Peter Siddle.

India made two changes from the side that lost the fourth game in Mohali, leaving out Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma to play Gambhir and Patel.

The Indians would need to score at 7.02 runs an over if they are to go 3-2 up in the seven-match series.