Steven Smith's
sublime century laid the groundwork and Australia's pace bowlers finished the
job to send the co-hosts storming into a seventh World Cup final with a 95-run
victory over champions India on Thursday.
Australia move
on to the Melbourne Cricket Ground and a shot at a fifth title against New
Zealand on Sunday, while India head home after four months Down Under
having come up short in their bid to retain the title they won four years ago.
Smith's 105
helped Australia to a total of 328 for seven, the highest in a World
Cup semi-final, and although skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit a defiant 65 in
what might be his final One-day innings, India were dismissed for 233
in the 47th over.
India might have
fancied their chances of chasing the target down after making a solid start on
a good pitch in perfect weather conditions and backed by the majority of a
noisy crowd of 42,330 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Mitchell Johnson and
Josh Hazlewood had other ideas, however, and they tore the heart out of India's
top order by sending Shikhar Dhawan (45), Virat Kohli (1) and Rohit Sharma (34)
back inside six overs.
When James Faulkner,
who had been hammered for 23 runs by Dhawan in his first two overs, got into
the act by dismissing Suresh Raina (7), India had lost four of their
most coveted wickets for the addition of just 32 runs to fall to 108-4.
Johnson's bowling was
as potent as it has been all tournament and the delivery that clean bowled
Rohit a ball after the opener had the temerity to hit him for six sent one bail
flying 20 feet behind the stumps.
Dhoni and Ajinkya
Rahane (44) set about rebuilding the innings with a partnership of 70 but when
the captain was run out ambling down the wicket by a direct hit from Glenn
Maxwell, the die was cast.
Faulkner added a
flourish by bowling Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohit Sharma in successive
deliveries to finish with 3-59 but Umesh Yadav blocked the hat-trick ball.
Earlier, on a good
Sydney Cricket Ground pitch, in perfect weather conditions, Smith came back to
torment India in a partnership of 182 with opener Aaron Finch (81) to lead
Australia to a comfortable position with close to 200 runs on the board, nine
wickets in hand and over 15 overs to bat.
With Umesh Yadav
(4-72) to the fore, however, India struck back to remove the power-hitters in
Australia's middle order and disrupt their attempt to plunder runs in the later
overs.
"I think it's a
good total, we're going to have to bowl and field well though," said
Smith.
"At the start,
if you're offered 330, I reckon you take that nine times out of 10. It's going
to be about squeezing and hopefully the bowlers can do a job for us.
"It's always
nice getting hundreds at the SCG and hopefully the boys can back it up in the
field now."
Smith had come to the
crease in the fourth over after Yadav had bounced out opener David Warner for
12 and rarely looked troubled for the remainder of his 122-minute knock.
The bouncers were
pulled, he called for a cap when the spinners came on and hit 11 fours and two
sixes to give India a rude reminder of his prolific form in the test series
around New Year, when he scored a century in all four matches.
The 25-year-old
secured his fourth straight half century at the World Cup in 53 balls and was
soon surging towards his fourth ODI century, which he secured with a six and a
four off successive balls.
Finch at the other
end was looking less assured as he sought to end his run of poor form but he
too reached the half century mark before his partnership with Smith was broken
in the 35th over.
Yadav again did the
damage, his bouncer cramping Smith as he attempted the hook with the ensuing
top edge flying to Rohit Sharma at deep square leg.
Glenn Maxwell came
out ahead of his skipper Michael Clarke and hit a brisk 23 off 14 balls before
sweeping a Ravichandran Ashwin delivery to Ajinkya Rahane at deep backward
square leg.
The crowd, the
majority wearing the blue of India, were roused and Finch soon departed as
Yadav's third victim with Clarke (10) and James Faulkner (21) following him
back to the dressing room as Australia tumbled to 284 for six.
Even the experienced
partnership of Shane Watson and Brad Haddin (seven not out) was unable to
steady the ship as Australia tried to balance the imperative of scoring quickly
with making sure they did not run out of batsmen.
Watson departed for
28 to give Mohit Sharma his second wicket and it was left to paceman Mitchell
Johnson to bolster Australia's tally closer to a par score with his 27 not out
off nine balls.
It was the first time
in eight matches at the World Cup that India had failed to dismiss their
opponents.
