KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP):

AUSTRALIAN PACE bowler Mitchell Johnson ripped through India's top order, taking four wickets for 11 runs yesterday, but the fiery spell came to nothing as rain forced their one-day match of the tri-series tournament to be abandoned.

Johnson scalped captain Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan and Yuvraj Singh in a space of eight balls, missing a hat-trick by one ball. The four wickets plus Virender Sehwag's run out had India reeling at 35 for five when the skies opened up and the players scurried back to their pavilions. Soon after that, officials called off the game.

It was the second match of the tournament affected by rain, both involving India. On Thursday, West Indies defeated India by 29 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method, applied because of rain interruption even though India had made 309 runs.

"I'm still disappointed that we just can't get a 50-over game after restricting Australia to (less than) 250," said Dravid, adding that it is not easy to "maintain momentum" in scoring runs with rain interruptions.

"It will be interesting to see a full 50-over game for a change."

Easy target

Yesterday, India had appeared to be on top at first after getting Australia all out for 244 in 50 overs, presenting Dravid's men an easy target of 245 to win, an asking rate of 4.9 runs per over.

But five overs into India's innings, with the score at 16 without loss, it started raining, forcing a two-hour interruption in the game. When play resumed, India's target was revised to 170 in 29 overs to win - presenting a difficult asking rate of 6.4 runs per over.

If rain was to blame for boosting the asking rate, it was rain that saved India from major embarrassment as their top five wickets tumbled in eight overs and the team appeared headed for a certain defeat. India and Australia get two points each from the game.