Marsh and Watson punish India bowling

HYDERABAD, India, Nov 5 (Reuters) - A maiden one-day century by Shaun Marsh and a sizzling 93 from Shane Watson helped Australia post a commanding 350 for four in the fifth one-day international against India on Thursday.

Left-hander Marsh hit a run-a-ball 112 and put on 145 for the opening wicket with Watson and 91 for the next with skipper Ricky Ponting (45) after the tourists chose to bat first in the day-night match.

Watson cracked nine fours and three sixes in his 89-ball knock to set the pace for the world champions who won the previous game by 24 runs to level the seven-match series 2-2.

Watson holed out in the deep attempting to slog-sweep off-spinner Harbhajan Singh but Marsh and Ponting kept the pressure on the hosts.

Marsh made the most of two reprieves and hit eight fours and two sixes, reaching his century with a two off medium-pacer Praveen Kumar.

Ponting was bowled by Kumar and Marsh was in the deep off left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra, but Cameron White belted a 33-ball 57 with two fours and five sixes as the visitors raced to 350.

White put on 80 with Michael Hussey (31 not out) for the fourth wicket before falling to Kumar in the last ball of the innings.

(Writing by Sanjay Rajan; Editing by John Mehaffey; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)