Cricket: Tendulkar 100 elevates India

SACHIN TENDULKAR'S century off 89 balls powered India to a six- wicket win over Australia in their triangular tournament limited-overs match in Kanpur yesterday.

Tendulkar hit exactly 100 including seven sixes, a record for India in one-day internationals. With Saurav Ganguly, who scored a patient 72, he shared a record opening partnership for India in one-day internationals against Australia of 175. The pair provided a flying start by reaching 100 in 14.2 overs as India, facing Australia's modest 222 for 9 in 50 overs, strolled to victory at 223 for 4 in 44.3 overs.

Tendulkar and Ganguly beat India's previous best opening stand against Australia of 124 by Ravi Shastri and Kris Srikanth at Melbourne in 1985.

Earlier, the paceman Ajit Agarkar took 4 for 46 in only his third one- day international. Agarkar's haul included Ricky Ponting, who was the cornerstone of Australia's innings with a patient 84 in 139 deliveries.

Tendulkar, who was then India's captain, and Sri Lanka's captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, are being sued over last December's cancellation of a one-day match because of a dangerous pitch. A court in the central Indian city of Indore, where the match was called off after 18 balls, have issued bailable warrants against both players and three others including the match referee and groundsman, claiming the teams and officials had "cheated" spectators at the Nehru stadium.

Mark Taylor will not play for Australia's limited-overs side again and could lose the Test captaincy next year, Australia's team coach, Geoff Marsh, was quoted as saying in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday. Marsh said the elevation of Steve Waugh to lead Australia's one-day side last December marked "an era finished".