Tendulkar's poetic 175 goes awry as Aussies take lead

Sachin Tendulkar struck a magnificent 175 on a night the master batsman crossed the 17,000-run barrier as India almost scaled Australia's 350-run mountain in one of the most memorable high-scoring matches one-day cricket has ever seen.
In the end world champions Australia held their nerves to snatch a three-run win to take a 3-2 lead in the seven match series at the Rajib Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad yesterday. The hosts were bowled out for 347 in 49.4 overs.
But the match will be remembered for one of the best innings the little right-hander has played.
Playing his 435th one-day international, the 37-year-old was under pressure to perform after unimpressive showings in the first four games. And truly he produced an innings to behold. He was cautious while scoring those seven runs needed to cross the 17,000-run milestone that others can only dream of.
After felling that barrier he came out with his brilliant self with exciting stroke play. The right-hander hammered 19 fours and four sixes in his 141-ball poetry. When he was out caught, India needed 19 runs from 17 balls with three wickets still remaining. But unfortunately his dismissal once again saw India lose a match after coming so close. Left-handed batsman Suresh Raina kept Tendulkar good company in the middle scoring a run-a-ball 59.
Later Tendulkar was adjudged man-of-the-match for his masterful knock.
Afp adds, earlier Shaun Marsh struck a career-best 112 and Shane Watson an impressive 93 as Australia posted a huge 350 for 4.
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 due 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 up two expensive wickets 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.