Australia crushes India to advance to ICC World Cup final

A serene century by Steve Smith has lifted cricketing superpower Australia to another World Cup final after it eliminated defending champion India in Sydney on Thursday.

Smith coolly hit a swift 105 from 93 and combined with Aaron Finch (81) to establish the backbone of Australia's 7/328.

The 2011 champion, India, stumbled under the pressure of the Australian bowling attack. Shikhar Dhawan (45), Ajinkya Rahane (44) and Rohit Sharma (34) all failed to capitalize on starts which saw India drop to 233 and a 95-run loss.

Captain MS Dhoni's late effort (65) could not repair the early damage done by Mitchell Johnson (2/50). James Faulkner (3/59) cleaned up the tail as Australia won through to their seventh final in eleven World Cups.

Australia will now meet tournament co-host New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday in the first final absent of Northern Hemisphere teams.

Man-of-the-match Smith posted his first World Cup century after authoritative stroke play punished any delivery with a hint of imperfection.

Characteristic of Smith's ease at the wicket, swift movement deep in his crease when facing off-spinner Ravindra Jadeja saw Smith rock back and cruelly thump a good delivery over the mid-wicket boundary. Quick recognition of the pitch and movement of each ball saw Smith untouched and threatened by his opponents.

Opener David Warner looked destined to make hay in the Sydney sunshine, however, he was cleverly dismissed for 12 in the fourth over.

Following up from a Warner six, Umesh Yadav, who grabbed 4/72, intelligently pitched slightly more full and forced Warner to bunt a simple catch to the Australian's bitter rival Virat Kohli.

Smith proved an immediate replacement for Warner's quick scoring and by hoisting balls to the boundary with cool regularity took the focus off a sketchy Aaron Finch.

Finch, who survived a LBW review by the skin of his teeth when on 42, did not enjoy as much control or composure as his younger accomplice but together the two pushed Australia past 150 inside the first 30 overs.

Smith and Finch began to take the game away from India in the batting power play but a sharp bouncer Smith could not keep down gave Yadav and India the breakthrough.

Finch and Australia's leading run-scorer for the tournament, Glenn Maxwell (23 from 14) continued to pepper the boundary but their departures in quick succession - soon followed by Michael Clarke (10 from 12) - saw India slow the runaway Australian train at 5/248.

Quick, brief innings from Shane Watson (28 from 30), James Faulkner (21 from 12) and Mitchell Johnson (27 from 9) lifted Australia well clear of 300, a total India had never chased down in a World Cup.

On a flat and hard Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) pitch, Sharma and Dhawan raced through the opening overs including crushing Faulkner for 29 off his two first overs.

Cruising at an impressive 0/76 inside 13 overs, the fiery Dhawan was caught at mid-wicket by Maxwell from a lofted pull shot that would have cleaned any boundary in India.

Virat Kohli (1) cracked soon after when he chased a Mitchell Johnson bouncer and edged behind. Sharma soon joined his No.3 when Johnson skittled him as India collapsed to 3/91.

When Suresh Raina (7) nicked a Faulkner short ball to Brad Haddin, India needed another 220 from the remaining 27 overs.

MS Dhoni and Rahane did their best to stem the tide but with Australia able to call on a plethra of strike bowlers, the Indian pair's toil only saw them delay an inevitable elimination.

India's tail, haunted by the memories of their brutal Test series against the Australians earlier in the summer, provided little resistance as Faulkner snapped up his second trio of wickets in four matches. Endite