Australia provokes Dhoni, he hits back with a ton

Nagpur, October 28: Sparks flew for a while during the first innings of the second cricket one-dayer between India and Australia here today with the visiting pacer Mitchell Johnson involved in two small incidents with home team batsman Virender Sehwag and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Johnson had a few words for Sehwag after the India opening batsman smashed him for a huge six in the ninth over.

Sehwag (40) though fell to the same bowler in the first ball of his next over when he went for an expansive drive.

Later in the 28th over, when Dhoni was trying to complete a run he collided with Johnson and stumbled at the crease. The Indian captain was not pleased and was seen making an angry glance to the Australian.

Batting up the order

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today made it clear that he did not want to make any statement with his bat to anyone about his batting order but said his match-winning 124 against Australia in second ODI here was a special one because it came against the world's top team.

"It was just a special innings against the world's best team. Nothing more than that. All of my centuries are my favourites," said Dhoni at the post-match press conference when asked about the suggestions by former players that he should bat up the order.

Dhoni, as he did yesterday, explained that the first four slots in the order -- Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh -- cannot be disturbed and it was more or less a set order.

Dhoni said he initially with Gautam and then with Suresh Raina took full advantage of the good platform laid by the top order batsmen to help India raise a record total against Australia.

"When I batted with Gauti (Gautam Gambhir) our idea was to cut out risks as already the run rate was six an over. Even if it had dropped down to five if we could have enough wickets in hand we could take advantage of the second power play and carry that momentum into the slog overs. That was our plan," said Dhoni after powering India to a series-levelling 99-run victory over Australia.