Bollinger stars as Aussies square series

Doug Bollinger claimed three top-order wickets as Australia defeated India by 24 runs in Mohali to draw level at 2-2 in their seven-match ODI series on Monday.

Australia's top order all managed useful runs - Ricky Ponting leading the way with a chanceless 52, his third half-century in the series, and Cameron White contributing a steady 62.

But Ashish Nehra claimed three wickets - and four batsmen, including Ponting and White, were run out as India bowled the visitors out for 250 on a good batting surface.

Virender Sehwag blazed away at the start of the home reply - and Sachin Tendulkar contributed a measured 40.

But seamers Bollinger and Shane Watson took three wickets each, and Nathan Hauritz snared two as India were all out for 226 inside 47 overs.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni invited Australia to bat first - and India's new-ball bowlers Praveen Kumar and Nehra kept Australia's openers on a tight leash with a testing line.

Shaun Marsh, dropped for the previous game in Delhi, returned to open with Watson (49). But the Kings XI Punjab player failed to impress on his Indian Premier League team's home ground.

Marsh was trapped right in front by Nehra, a dismissal that brought Ponting to the crease early - and the Australia captain pulled Nehra for a boundary off the first ball he faced.

Watson, who had survived a confident shout for lbw from the first ball of the innings, had struggled at the start.

But he was only a run away from a half-century when he fell to Harbhajan Singh, the off-spinner striking with his very first delivery to end the second-wicket stand.

Ponting, who smashed Ishant Sharma for a six and a four off the fast bowler's first over, raised his 73rd half-century with a boundary off Harbhajan.

But his innings ended when he was run out almost immediately afterwards.

Ponting had turned Harbhajan on the on side and attempted a second run when Ravindra Jadeja, running in from deep square-leg, ended his stay with a direct hit.

Australia were 123 for three at that stage - and White and Michael Hussey (40) rebuilt with a 73-run stand for the fourth wicket.

India's spinners, however, hit back - Yuvraj Singh sending back Hussey and Harbhajan soon claiming Moises Henriques.

White, who reached his fourth ODI half-century with a single off Harbhajan, was then run out - and Australia lost their way, Nehra returning to claim two more wickets.

India began the chase with predictable force, Sehwag hammering Mitchell Johnson for six boundaries in two overs - only to perish attempting to hoist Bollinger for one boundary too many.

Number three Virat Kohli went cheaply - and Tendulkar, who needed 47 runs at the start of this match to reach 17,000 in ODIs, went lbw to off-spinner Hauritz as India slipped to 94 for three.

Bollinger, who had got Kohli in his first spell, returned to also see off Dhoni - while Yuvraj was run out.

The hosts needed 69 from the last 10 overs.

Harbhajan tried to make a fist of it, but his dismissal - caught and bowled by Watson - ended India's chances.

Plighted pace ace Mitchell Johnson failed to fetch a wicket and finished with horrible figures of none for 74 across nine awful overs.