Kuala Lumpur, Sep 16 (IANS) India were saved the blushes after yet another middle-order collapse as the third match of the DLF Cup triangular series against Australia here Saturday was abandoned due to rain and the teams split points.

Chasing a revised target of 170 runs from 29 overs, India were struggling at 35/5 in the day-night encounter at the Kinrara Academy Oval.

Mitchell Johnson wrecked the Indian batting line-up by picking up four wickets for just 11 runs in his four overs. His fiery spell put the Australians in the box seat as India faced an obvious defeat.

Rahul Dravid (6), Sachin Tendulkar (12), Irfan Pathan (0) and Yuvraj Singh (0) were his victims, while Virender Sehwag was run out for eight.

After the eighth over of the Indian innings, it started raining again for the third time in the match, leading to the tie being abandoned.

A keenly awaited contest between Australian pacer Glenn McGrath and Tendulkar began with the fast bowler's delivery hitting the maestro on his helmet in his second over. Tendulkar responded by dancing down the track and hitting him for a four over the mid-wicket in his third over.

Australia, opting to bat first, were bowled out for 244 in 49.2 overs. Opener Shane Watson made a flashy 79 and Michael Clarke scored a gutsy 64.

Watson and Phil Jacques gave Australia a decent start. The duo put on a 64-run partnership for the first wicket, with the fifty coming up in 8.2 overs.

Munaf Patel broke the partnership in the 10th over when he had Jacques caught by Sehwag.

Patel was the most successful Indian bowler, picking up three wickets for 53 runs. Harbhajan Singh and Ajit Agarkar bagged two wickets each.

Watson's innings lasted 74 deliveries and included 10 boundaries and two sixes over long on. He was well set for a deserving century but was out in the 28th over trying to hit Harbhajan, caught brilliantly by a diving Suresh Raina in the mid-wicket area.

The Australian middle-order failed to deliver and it was captain Ricky Ponting's (19) dismissal that triggered the collapse. He tried to pull Irfan Pathan but played straight into the hands of Sachin Tendulkar at deep fine leg, with just 92 runs on board.

Damien Martyn, playing the first match of the series, didn't trouble the scorers much as he made only four. Dhoni caught him off a Rudra Pratap Singh deliery.

Martyn edged it to Dravid in the slips but the Indian captain fumbled the easiest of chances. Wicketkeeper Dhoni, however, was alert enough to pounce on a rebound.

Bradley Haddin (16) was run out by Sehwag in the 41st over.

But it was Clarke's innings, which proved vital to help the Australians pile up a competitive total. The Aussies lost wickets at regular intervals but he kept the scoreboard ticking by stealing the singles.

After his departure in the 47th over, the lower order crumbled as Brad Hogg (12), Mitchell Johnson (2) and Stuart Clark (7) failed to deliver.

Australia lost the last four wickets for just 13 runs.

Scorecard

Third one-day international, DLF Cup triangular series, India vs Australia, Kinrara Academy Oval, Kuala Lumpur (day/night), Sep 16

Australia

Phil Jaques c Sehwag b Patel 25
Shane Watson c Raina b Harbhajan 79
Ricky Ponting c Tendulkar b Pathan 19
Damien Martyn c Dhoni b Rudra Pratap 4
Michael Clarke c Raina b Patel 64
Mark Cosgrove c Dravid b Harbhajan 4
Bradley Haddin run out (Sehwag) 16
Brad Hogg c Dhoni b Agarkar 12
Mitchell Johnson c Dhoni b Agarkar 2
Stuart Clark c Rudra Pratap b Patel 7
Glenn McGrath not out 1
Extras (b 1, lb 4, w 5) 10
Total (all out in 49.2 overs) 244

Fall of wickets: 1-64 (Jaques, 9.6 overs), 2-92 (Ponting, 15.2), 3-113 (Martyn, 18.1), 4-157 (Watson, 27.6), 5-167 (Cosgrove, 31.3), 6-200 (Haddin, 40.5), 7-230 (Clarke, 46.1), 8-232 (Johnson, 47.1), 9-243 (Clark, 48.5)

Bowling

Ajit Agarkar 8.2-0-50-2 (1w)
Munaf Patel 10-1-53-3
Rudra Pratap Singh 7-1-35-1
Irfan Pathan 4-0-32-1 (2w)
Harbhajan Singh 10-0-26-2 (2w)
Virender Sehwag 10-0-43-0

India

Rahul Dravid c Martyn b Johnson 6
Sachin Tendulkar c Haddin b Johnson 12
Irfan Pathan b Johnson 0
Virender Sehwag run out 8
Yuvraj Singh c Hogg b Johnson 0
Suresh Raina not out 1
Extras (w 7, nb 1) 8
Total (for 5 wickets in 8 overs) 35

Fall of wickets 1-20 (Dravid, 5.5 overs), 2-20 (Pathan, 5.6 ), 3-34 (Sehwag, 6.6), 4-34 (Tendulkar, 7.2), 5-35 (Yuvraj Singh, 7.6)

Bowling

Glenn McGrath 3-1-10-0 (1nb, 1w)
Mitchell Johnson 4-0-11-4 (1w)
Stuart Clark 1-0-14-0 (1w)

Toss: Australia
Result: Match abandoned due to rains.
Umpires: Mark Benson (England) and Anthony Hill (New Zealand)
TV umpire: Asad Rauf (Pakistan)
Match Referee: Chris Broad (England)