Australian pace ace Brett Lee's magnificent summer continued unabated, but not even the speedster was quick enough to beat the rain in the opening match of the triangular one-day series against India in Brisbane last night.
Torrential rain forced play to be abandoned in the eighth over of Australia's innings, with the home side in early trouble at 3-51 chasing a revised target of 140 on the rain-soaked Gabba wicket.
But it was time enough for the crowd of 35,311 to remind India spinner Harbhajan Singh he is public enemy No1. Banners around the ground Andrew Symonds calls home urged the proud Maroon to "Go Bananas, Roy".
Symonds' every stride was met with rapturous applause, while Harbhajan's every involvement in play or simply his presence on the big screen saw the crowd launch into a chorus of boos. Harbhajan did nothing to ease the tension, waving the crowd on and holding his hand to his ear.
It was time enough also for Lee to reaffirm his place as the new leader of Australia's bowling attack, with an eye-catching five-wicket haul.
After taking man-of-the series honours in the Test series, Lee took 5-27 from his nine overs as India was dismissed for 194 in their rain-affected innings.
Lee has made a seamless transition into the role as Australia's No1 fast bowler since the retirement of Glenn McGrath, with his control, pace and athleticism. It was his seventh five-wicket haul of his one-day international career.
Australian skipper Ricky Ponting could scarcely believe his luck when told his Indian counterpart MS Dhoni had elected to bat first in overcast conditions.
After Nathan Bracken (1-55) removed Virender Sehwag attempting a typically wild cut shot for just six, Lee snared the vital wicket of Sachin Tendulkar in the seventh over to have the new-look Indian outfit in trouble at 2-26.
Absent from the side which was crushed in Friday night's Twenty20 clash at the MCG, Tendulkar was out hit wicket, after he stepped back onto his stumps attempting to fend off a rising delivery from Lee.
Despite periods of short resistance from youngsters Gautam Gambhir (39) and Rohit Sharma (29) and Dhoni (37), India never really recovered from the loss of their two champions at the top of the order.
Mitchell Johnson (1-33) trapped Gambhir LBW in the 20th over, sparking a middle-order collapse in which India lost 4-11 in seven overs.
Lee removed Sharma with the first ball of his second spell, finding the outside edge with a beautiful outswinging delivery.
Manoj Tiwarry was Lee's next victim, beaten for pace by a Lee yorker.
After a nervous start which saw him dispatched for 27 runs in his first four overs, debutant Ashley Noffke (1-46) returned to claim Robin Uthappa.
Dhoni's partnerships with Irfan Pathan (21) and Harbhajan Singh (27) in the lower order saved the Indians from total disaster, but following the poor showing in Friday night's game, in which they were dismissed for just 74, questions have been raised over the decision to send home VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly.
There was an eerily familiar feel about the batting, featuring five players who had taken no part in the Test series.
Before last night's match, Dhoni conceded the new players faced a battle being ready to play with so little build-up.
- DAN KOCH