Ponting dropped from Australian one-day squad

Ricky Ponting's one-day-international career appears to be over after he was dumped from Australia's squad for their next two matches in the tri-series.

All-rounder Shane Watson, skipper Michael Clarke and Ryan Harris will make their returns after recovering from injury.

Selectors have lost patience with Ponting after the 37-year-old's poor form, excluding the former captain from a 13-man squad.

Watson proved his fitness to selectors in NSW's horror loss to Western Australia in Perth. He has not played for Australia since breaking down in South Africa three months ago.

"He is an all-rounder of proven class and the NSP [National Selection Panel] is keen to have him rejoin the squad," Inverarity said.

Harris returns at the expense of left-armer Mitchell Starc.

"Mitchell will benefit greatly from the Tests and the ODIs he has played. His development as a player of the future is most encouraging," Inverarity said.

Selectors also confirmed Matthew Wade had overtaken Brad Haddin as the "preferred ODI wicket-keeper for the Australian ODI team".

Sachin still suffering but India triumphs

So intent has Sachin Tendulkar been on shunning publicity this summer, it would have been fitting had he scored the most eagerly anticipated century of recent times in the lowest key match of India's tour.

But unfortunately for the great batsman, the 6685 fans who braved Perth's sweltering heat and a billion Indians, not even a change of opponent brought Tendulkar closer to his 100th international century last night at the WACA Ground.

Advertisement: Story continues below India won, in farcical fashion by four wickets with 20 balls to spare after two Sri Lankan fielders let a simple skied chance drop between them, but the milestone Tendulkar is chasing remains a millstone.

Expectation grew as Tendulkar reached 48 but luck deserted him when he played seamer Angelo Mathews onto his stumps. He had come tantalisingly close to suffering the same fate when on 26.

Another fine innings by impressive firebrand Virat Kohli swung the game back in India's favour but, on 77, he sacrificed his wicket and suffered muscle cramps chasing a suicidal single. He was run out by Lasith Malinga, who threw down the stumps at the non-striker's end from mid-on.

Kohli suffered the ignominy of being carried off the field by trainers but as humiliating as his exit was, it should not detract from his reputation as one of India's finest young batsmen. His contribution ensured spin-bowling all-rounders Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were left a challenging rather than difficult job to guide India to just their second win of the tour.

The Sri Lankans have room for considerable improvement but that will need to come quickly, particularly with the bat, if they are to have any hope tomorrow of toppling Australia.

The gun trio of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene all made starts but none produced the innings that would have made Ryan Harris, Mitchell Starc and company tremble in their sleep.

Instead, it was the world No. 4's rising wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Chandimal, with a fluent 64 off 81 balls in just his second match in this country, and Mathews's 33 off 28 balls at the death that enabled Sri Lanka to set a reasonably competitive target.

Whitewash for India, Australia wins the series.......

Australia wrapped up a 298-run win over India to sweep the series 4-0 early on the final day of the fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
It was India's eighth consecutive away Test loss after a 4-0 series loss in England last year and the Indians have not won a series in Australia in 10 visits.

Australia's dominance over India comes a year after their Ashes series humiliation at home to England and their significant improvement under new skipper Michael Clarke, who replaced Ricky Ponting.

Australia won by 122 runs in Melbourne, an innings and 68 runs in Sydney and an innings and 37 runs in Perth before their final Adelaide annihilation.