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Sunday, 1 January 2012

Aussies to Halt Tendulkar Party


Australia are determined to prevent Sachin Tendulkar scoring a historic 100th international century for India in the second Test in Sydney.

Tendulkar has been on 99 hundreds since March 2011 but underlined his form with 73 in the first Test in Melbourne.

Australia batsman Mike Hussey said: "Everyone in our dressing room does not want him to make a hundred.

"I am nervous because the stars seem to be aligning - the 100th Test in Sydney; he's made runs here before."

He added: "It's a little bit ominous but hopefully we can make him wait until after this series and he can get a hundred in the first game of the next series that he plays."

However, the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) has been a successful hunting ground for Tendulkar, who has scored three hundreds in seven innings at the venue and averages 221.33.

If it does not happen in the second Test, which starts on Tuesday, former India captain Sourav Ganguly believes the 38-year-old "guaranteed" to make history during the series.

"He looked very solid at the MCG  [Melbourne Cricket Ground] on a pitch which had a fair bit of help for the quicks," said Ganguly.

"His feet have moved superbly, which is an indication that his mind is thinking the right way.

"I can guarantee you that if he keeps batting like this he will make a major impact on the remaining three Tests and probably get past that magic landmark in this country."

Seamers James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus took 19 of the 20 India wickets to fall in Melbourne as Australia won by 122 runs inside four days.

While pace bowlers have had more success than spinners at the SCG in the previous two New Year Tests, against Pakistan in 2010 and England in 2011, Hussey believes the pitch may offer assistance to the slower bowlers.

"The last few years have been really seamer friendly and there have been overhead conditions to help that as well," added Hussey.

"It looks definitely a lighter colour and generally that's the way it's gone over here; it has slowed down a little bit and helped the spinners as the game's gone on."

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who took just one wicket in the first Test, is vying with seamer Ryan Harris for the final place in the Australia attack.

The last time the teams met at the SCG was in 2008, a fractious encounter in which India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was accused of racially abusing Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds. Neither is involved in this series.

Hussey said: "That was a long time ago and the personalities and teams have changed quite a lot, particularly in our team.

"That's gone; that's in the past. I think the players that were involved in all the controversies have moved on, even played together."