Mirror.co.uk :-
SACHIN TENDULKAR will go in search of a mind-boggling 100th international ton this week as he bids to etch his name on the most special board of them all.
Somehow Tendulkar has managed to strike Test triple figures at 31 different grounds around the world, yet Lord’s remains elusive for the little master.
He knows the ground so well, owning a property nearby so that he can bring his son to practise on the hallowed turf, but it has not been kind to him.
A top score of 37 is the best he has mustered so far in north London in four previous matches, but he has a habit of saving his greatest achievements for the latter part of his career.
“Every cricketer’s ambition is to score a hundred or take five wickets at Lord’s,” said England skipper Andrew Strauss.
“While you’re playing it is not the first thing on your mind, but to be able to walk into the dressing room and see your name up there is a special feeling.
“It is the most special honours board of the lot because of its history and tradition, and by the very nature of sport there are one or two guys who you would expect to be there who aren’t.
“If you’re lucky to get up there, then it will be remembered for all time and that is satisfying in itself.
“It would be a fantastic way for Sachin to reach 100 hundreds. It would be a fairy tale, but I am not a big fan of those sort of fairy tales, to be honest with you. I prefer our own.”
England’s skipper, though, realises that there could be very little his side can do to stop a player that already has 51 Test tons and 48 one-day hundreds to his name.
And having hit four tons at Lord’s himself, Strauss will also remember that the last time he had Test success against India with twin tons in Chennai, Tendulkar reached 103 not out to win the game. “I’m not thinking of records,” India’s talisman claimed last week. “I’m just thinking of enjoying this tour, the secret to any performance is not chasing records.”
Yet it is the records that define Tendulkar and make him the stand-out batsman in either side.
There have been more elegant batsmen like David Gower, or more destructive batsmen like Ricky Ponting, or more match-turning batsmen like Brian Lara.
But where Tendulkar beats them all is with his sheer numbers and volume of runs together with a longevity that puts every other cricketer to shame.
And there is no doubt that Tendulkar’s team-mates will be doing whatever they can to help him out.
“I hope he gets there in this match, it would make it the perfect numbers game,” said Zaheer Khan. “It has been such a privilege to play with him and see him reach so many fantastic landmarks, this would be the perfect way for him to get his 100th hundred – in the 100th game between England and India and the 2,000th Test match.
“We all know he will get there, it is just a matter of when and the whole team is behind him to do it at Lord’s and create history for himself there.”
Tendulkar has already been honoured ahead of the game by being named in the ICC’s greatest Test XI of all time after an online poll.
However, with eight of the team coming from India and Australia, and with every player having played in 1994 or later bar Sir Donald Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar, the side should be taken with a pinch of salt.
After revealing the side, ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat continued to pile pressure on India to adopt the umpire decision review system which is hardly in use this series.
He said: “I am disappointed some sides do not want to use it because I am a believer in technology. It has worked and I hope those that don’t believe in it will soon be persuaded.”
Somehow Tendulkar has managed to strike Test triple figures at 31 different grounds around the world, yet Lord’s remains elusive for the little master.
He knows the ground so well, owning a property nearby so that he can bring his son to practise on the hallowed turf, but it has not been kind to him.
A top score of 37 is the best he has mustered so far in north London in four previous matches, but he has a habit of saving his greatest achievements for the latter part of his career.
“Every cricketer’s ambition is to score a hundred or take five wickets at Lord’s,” said England skipper Andrew Strauss.
“While you’re playing it is not the first thing on your mind, but to be able to walk into the dressing room and see your name up there is a special feeling.
“It is the most special honours board of the lot because of its history and tradition, and by the very nature of sport there are one or two guys who you would expect to be there who aren’t.
“If you’re lucky to get up there, then it will be remembered for all time and that is satisfying in itself.
“It would be a fantastic way for Sachin to reach 100 hundreds. It would be a fairy tale, but I am not a big fan of those sort of fairy tales, to be honest with you. I prefer our own.”
England’s skipper, though, realises that there could be very little his side can do to stop a player that already has 51 Test tons and 48 one-day hundreds to his name.
And having hit four tons at Lord’s himself, Strauss will also remember that the last time he had Test success against India with twin tons in Chennai, Tendulkar reached 103 not out to win the game. “I’m not thinking of records,” India’s talisman claimed last week. “I’m just thinking of enjoying this tour, the secret to any performance is not chasing records.”
Yet it is the records that define Tendulkar and make him the stand-out batsman in either side.
There have been more elegant batsmen like David Gower, or more destructive batsmen like Ricky Ponting, or more match-turning batsmen like Brian Lara.
But where Tendulkar beats them all is with his sheer numbers and volume of runs together with a longevity that puts every other cricketer to shame.
Without the records Tendulkar would not be worshipped like he is by a billion people so, on the occasion of the 2,000th Test match of all time, the question is whether he will get there this week.
And there is no doubt that Tendulkar’s team-mates will be doing whatever they can to help him out.
“I hope he gets there in this match, it would make it the perfect numbers game,” said Zaheer Khan. “It has been such a privilege to play with him and see him reach so many fantastic landmarks, this would be the perfect way for him to get his 100th hundred – in the 100th game between England and India and the 2,000th Test match.
“We all know he will get there, it is just a matter of when and the whole team is behind him to do it at Lord’s and create history for himself there.”
Tendulkar has already been honoured ahead of the game by being named in the ICC’s greatest Test XI of all time after an online poll.
However, with eight of the team coming from India and Australia, and with every player having played in 1994 or later bar Sir Donald Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar, the side should be taken with a pinch of salt.
After revealing the side, ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat continued to pile pressure on India to adopt the umpire decision review system which is hardly in use this series.
He said: “I am disappointed some sides do not want to use it because I am a believer in technology. It has worked and I hope those that don’t believe in it will soon be persuaded.”
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