Rohit and Dhoni guide India to tense win

By Greg Stutchbury

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Rohit Sharma and Mahendra Dhoni ensured a five-wicket victory for India over Australia on Sunday after the world champions had threatened to snatch an improbable win in their triangular series one-day international.

Chasing just 160 to win after bowling Australia out for 159, India slumped to 102 for five in the middle overs of their innings before Rohit and captain Dhoni rescued them.

Rohit (39 not out) showed maturity beyond his 20 years to see off a fired-up Australian pace attack that had threatened to run through India's batting before he and Dhoni (17 not out) combined in a match winning 58-run unbroken partnership.

Dhoni also took four catches and made a stumping in Australia's innings.

Sachin Tendulkar top-scored for India with a belligerent 44, which included three tremendous boundaries in one Brett Lee over, while Mitchell Johnson finished with two for 24 off 10 overs.

"There was some pretty poor batting today, to get 159 on that wicket was never enough," Australia captain Ricky Ponting told reporters.

"The way we stuck at our task with the ball and particularly in the field, we gave ourselves half a chance of winning the game."