Brisbane, Feb 3: The first one-day international of the Commonwealth Bank series between India and Australia was called off after heavy rains lashed the ground. Both India and Australia get two points each to register their presence on the points table.

Earlier, S Sreesanth picked up his first wicket of the match as he bowled a superb delivery that took the outside edge of Ricky Ponting’s bat and was caught brilliantly by Virender Sehwag in the slip cordon. Ponting was out without troubling the scorers.

Ishant Sharma claimed the crucial wicket of James Hopes just after play resumed after heavy showers had forced the players off the field. Australia have been given a revised target of 141 to win the match off 26 overs.

Adam Gilchrist was the first man out but not before he along with James Hopes ensured that the Australians got off to a flying start as they raced to 33 runs for the loss of 1 wicket after just 4 overs. Hopes at the other end was looking in prime form as he plundered 18 runs from a Pathan over. Australia are chasing a revised target of 192 runs off 43 overs.

Speedster Brett Lee bowled a lethal spell to claim five wickets as India were all out for 194 runs at the end of their allotted 45 overs. Sreesanth was the last man out as he was run out trying to take a second run off the last delivery. Gautam Gambhir top scored for the Indians with 39 while Harbhajan Singh scored a quick fire 27.

Earlier, Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting hit a brilliant throw to run out Irfan Pathan just after the southpaw had hit a couple of classy shots to take the Indian total close to 150.

The first one day international match between India and Australia was reduced to 45 overs after heavy showers disrupted play.

Heavy showers came to India’s rescue after the Aussie bowlers put up a brilliant show to reduce India to 128 runs for the loss of 6 wickets with the entire Indian top order back in the pavilion.

Earlier, debutante Ashley Noffke joined the list of wicket takers as he accounted for Robin Uthappa to reduce India to 6 wickets down for a paltry 102. At that stage, India were faced with the challenge of batting out their quota of 50 overs with out of form Dhoni and all rounder Irfan Pathan holding fort.

Brett Lee struck twice in two overs as he clean bowled debutante Manoj Tiwary to send India reeling with half of the side back in the pavilion even before crossing the hundred figure mark. Lee had also accounted for Rohit Sharma in his previous over.

Just when India were looking like gaining an upper hand, the Aussie bowlers struck twice in quick succession to remove both the set batsmen Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma. Gambhir who scored 39 runs was out LBW to Johnson while Sharma was claimed by Lee for 29.

Youngsters Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma put together an unbeaten half century partnership as India looked to claw their way back into the game after losing the early wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag cheaply.

Both Sharma and Gambhir played some aggressive shots, scoring all round the wicket and not letting the Aussie bowlers get on top.

Just after start, India were in trouble as they lost the crucial wicket of Sachin Tendulkar after the master batsman was out hit-wicket while attempting to play a shot off Brett Lee. Sachin scored 10 runs.

Electing to bat first after winning the toss, India were off to a disastrous start as hard hitting opening batsman Virender Sehwag was clean bowled by Nathan Bracken after scoring just 6 runs.

Sehwag hit a beautiful lofted shot in front of the wickets but was out soon after as he chopped one on to his stumps while attempting to cut a fast incoming Bracken delivery.

Earlier, India’s captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to take first strike in the first game of the Commonwealth Bank Series, which kicked off at the picturesque Gabba ground here today.

The Indian batting line-up had been bolstered by the return of Sachin Tendulkar while Yuvraj Singh’s absence meant India went into the match with a fairly young and inexperienced middle order. Debutante Manoj Tiwary was included in the Indian squad while Australia decided to give his first one day cap to 30 year old speedster Ashley Noffke.

After the Twenty20 debacle in Melbourne just a few hours ago, the young Indian team were looking to prove a point by putting up a good show in the tri-series. Overcast sky, however, cast a shadow over the match as brief spells of rain for the last few hours before the start of play threatened to play spoilsport.

India innings : V Sehwag b Bracken 6, SR Tendulkar hit wicket b Lee 10, G Gambhir lbw b Johnson 39, RG Sharma c Gilchrist b Lee 29, MK Tiwary b Lee 2, MS Dhoni c Ponting b Lee 37, RV Uthappa c Clarke b Noffke 5, IK Pathan run out (Ponting) 21, Harbhajan Singh c Clarke b Lee 27, S Sreesanth run out (Hussey/Lee/Haddin) 4, I Sharma not out 1 Extras: (lb 7, w 4, nb 2) 13 Total: (all out; 45 overs) 194 (4.31 runs per over) FOW: 1-12, 2-26, 3-91, 4-93, 5-94, 6-102, 7-147, 8-189, 9-190, 10-194

Bowling: B Lee 9-2-27-5, NW Bracken 9-0-55-1, AA Noffke 9-0-46-1, MG Johnson 9-2-33-1, JR Hopes 6-0-17-0, MJ Clarke 2-0-5-0, A Symonds 1-0-4-0

Australia innings: AC Gilchrist c Dhoni b Sreesanth 14, JR Hopes b I Sharma 17, RT Ponting c Sehwag b Sreesanth 0, MJ Clarke not out 2, A Symonds not out 5 Extras: (b 4, w 4, nb 5) 13 Total: (3 wickets; 7.2 overs) 51 (6.95 runs per over) FOW: 1-33, 2-38, 3-39

Bowling: IK Pathan 2-0-23-0, S Sreesanth 3.2-0-17-2, I Sharma 2-0-7-1

Give youngsters time to settle: Dhoni

Brisbane, Feb 3: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni backed his young team and outlined his vision for the 2011 World Cup after the opening game of the tri-series against Australia was washed out here today.

"If we are looking for a team for 2011 world cup, it`s important that we have guys who have played 80-100 matches by then...I think this is the team I wanted," an earnest Dhoni said.

"This is the plan which can succeed it can backfire as well. But they (the youngsters) need the right opportunity and base to perform."

Dhoni was not perturbed that he has given opportunity to his men, selected in place of veterans such as Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, in conditions as difficult as in Australia.

"It`s up to individuals if they succumb to pressure. It`s up to them to show courage or perform."

The wicketkeeper-batsman said he picked Manoj Tiwary by instinct ahead of Suresh Raina even though the Bengal youngster arrived in Australia only yesterday.

"I go by instinct. It doesn`t matter that he arrived only yesterday or he didn`t have enough practice. It`s tough cricket and good ones can adapt quickly," he said.

As for today`s game, Dhoni felt it was evenly-poised after his bowlers broke through early.

"After the second break, Ishant (Sharma) and Sreesanth bowled brilliantly in the right areas and troubled the batsmen.

"I think it was evenly-poised. When the rain came, the momentum was with us. But the target was so small, a good innings could have turned the momentum their way."

Dhoni felt his bowlers did not bowl the first two overs well and his side could have also done better in the field.

Batting first in overcast conditions may have raised a few eyebrows and Dhoni admitted the decision could have gone either way.

"It (the decision) was confusing. It was sticky and overcast and we expected it to swing. But it did not swing that much," Dhoni said.

Losing early wickets did not help India`s cause, he felt.

"We lost early wickets and Tendulkar`s dismissal was unfortunate. However, Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma played really well."

As for his own innings, Dhoni felt if he had got out cheaply, the side could have been bundled out for 150-160 runs.

"I see my position in the side as that of a floater. I can come low down the order and depending on the situation, you could also see me at number three."

The Indian captain is not upset that Australian fans in the stands are giving Harbhajan Singh a hard time.

"I really don`t care. Harbhajan feels that it actually is helping him relax," Dhoni added.

Abandoned tie not good for anyone: Lee

Brisbane, Feb 3: Australian speedster Brett Lee was disappointed that the brilliantly poised first game of the tri-series was abandoned because of frequent rains at Gabba here on Sunday.

"It wasn't good for us, it wasn't good for the Indian team and the fans," said Lee, who continued his splendid season with a five-wicket haul against India.

Lee said the manner in which the Indians were making the ball 'talk' had made it anybody's match, if the rain gods had relented.

"The way Sreesanth was bowling, if we had lost a couple of more wickets, it could have really tilted the game in their favour."

Lee termed patience as the key to his spectacular success as the leader of the Australian bowling attack.

"Patience is important. It has got me wickets. The way the ball is coming out of hand, I am trying to do the same thing and don't change much."

He admitted he has shouldered a fair bit of workload in recent times but the thought of rotation, for the moment, is far from his mind.

Lee bowled a lot of short deliveries to Indian batsmen and termed it a good tactic.

"Short ball, as I see it, can be a very defensive ball but it can also get you wickets. I think if a bowler can, he must do it," the speedster said.

Lee did not want to comment on the young Indian batsmen saying he would prefer to have a good look at them before giving an opinion on their quality.

Tendulkar achieves another `feat`

Brisbane, Feb 3: Sachin Tendulkar on Sunday became the third Indian batsman to be out 'hit-wicket' in one day cricket. The master blaster, whose dismissals are often a subject of discussion, was at it once again while playing a Brett Lee delivery in the tri-series opener against Australia. Just when he was looking good, Tendulkar played a defensive shot and while setting off for a run he ended up tickling the stumps with his foot. The Mumbai batsman, dismissed in this manner for the first time in his ODI career, joined compatriots Nayan Mongia and Anil Kumble who also had this dubious distinction in this version of the game. Mongia was out off Wasim Akram (Pakistan) at Sharjah on April 7, 1995, while Kumble fell to Andrew Adams (NZ) at Wellington on 8.1.2003.

Apart from Tendulkar, two other members of the 10,000 ODI run club -- Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan) and Brian Lara (West Indies) -- were also dismissed 'hit wicket' once each.

Tendulkar's mode of dismissals in Tests and ODIs are:

ODIs -Tests

Bowled 60 39

Caught by Fielders 152 -88

Caught and Bowled 14 -4

Caught by Wicketkeepers 65 -32

LBW 29 -42

Run out 30 -6

Stumped 10 -1

Hit Wicket -1

Total: 361 -212.