Australia v India, CB Series, Adelaide

Hussey, Forrest lift Australia to 269

Australia 8 for 269 (Hussey 72, Forrest 66) v India

David Hussey's innings was another reminder of his usefulness in most limited-overs contests © AFP

Peter Forrest's sound debut and David Hussey's invention underpinned a sturdy Australia batting effort that reaped 8 for 269 against India in the ODI match at Adelaide Oval.

Looking very much at home in international company, Forrest built the total alongside Hussey after the innings was in danger of stalling at 3 for 81. Michael Clarke's fluent 38 had ended when he sallied forth to attack Umesh Yadav and dragged a slower ball wretchedly onto the stumps.

Forrest was strong square of the wicket and down the ground, while Hussey's innings was another reminder of his usefulness in most limited-overs contests. Following their departure, allrounder Daniel Christian put together a handy closing contribution at the home ground of his adopted state. Few boundaries were collected in the closing overs, reflecting some diligent bowling but also the slowing of an otherwise friendly batting surface.

Yadav and Zaheer Khan were the most effective of India's bowlers, attacking the stumps while also keeping the runs down, as the tourists sought a manageable target after the selectors chose to rest Sachin Tendulkar.

Having rested Michael Hussey to give Forrest a first cap, the selectors dropped Matthew Wade down the order and shifted Ricky Ponting to the top, but neither he nor David Warner had a significant impact on proceedings.

Upon winning the toss, Clarke had no hesitation batting first for the third time in as many matches in this series, but Ponting and Warner made a sluggish start against Zaheer and Vinay Kumar. Reaching out for the ball rather than letting it come to him, Ponting miscued a drive to point.

Warner had edged Zaheer fractionally short of MS Dhoni in the opening over, and he batted in the slipstream of a clean-striking Clarke for a time before a horrid running mix-up resulted in the opener being stranded as Vinay Kumar collected Rohit Sharma's agile field-and-throw to the non-striker's end.

Forrest and Clarke recalibrated somewhat before the debutant signalled his capabilities with a rasping cut off Yadav, followed by a swing off Ravindra Jadeja down the ground with such crispness that the stroke cleared the sightscreen - a comfortable six anywhere in the world.

Clarke had lost some of his earlier momentum, and Yadav capitalised when his change of pace met a highly ambitious attempt to reach the boundary, leaving Hussey and Forrest to rebuild again.

They did so with wisely-chosen shots - Forrest clattered a second six down the ground from the bowling of Rohit - and eager running between the wickets, lifting the hosts to 179 before Forrest did not quite control an attempted pull shot and presented a catch to deep midwicket.

Hussey went on in the company of Christian, scoring mainly in an efficient series of ones and twos, and looked ready to unfurl his cleanest hitting when Virender Sehwag dived smartly to hold a low chance at square leg.

Christian accumulated neatly until he was heedlessly run out - seemingly unaware the ball was headed for his end - but Wade helped ensure the total swelled to dimensions that will require some of India's most accomplished batting of the summer to chase down.