This is my X’mas gift: Vinod Kambli

For Sachin Tendulkar’s bum chum Vinod Kambli, his friend’s fiftieth Test ton is the best Christmas gift he has got this winter.

In pic: Young Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli during their school days

The south-paw knew that this moment would come soon and what better situation than to help India recover from rough waters.

“It is the best Christmas gift I got from Sachin. Immediately after he reached the milestone I left for Church to thank God. I have been praying for this moment for a long time,” said Kambli.

“It’s difficult to express my feelings in words. I knew that this was coming. He missed out during the New Zealand series. But I was confident that he would not lose this opportunity against South Africa especially when the situation was so difficult. He did a great job to pull India out from rough waters,” he added.

The 38-year-old, however, finds it difficult to pick his favourite Tendulkar innings. “I have seen each and every century of his. Hence, it is not easy to choose his best century innings.” –DNA INDIA

Scoring under pressure is a feather in Sachin's cap: Smith

CENTURIAN: South African captain Graeme Smith was happy that his team was able to put up a "dominant performance" as they beat India by an innings and 25 runs in the first Test but he also praised maestro Sachin Tendulkar for scoring his 50th Test century under pressure. "It was a pretty dominant performance. We controlled the game throughout the four days. I think the partnership between Sachin and MS was the only time that we really needed to put in the yards," Smith told the reporters at the post-match media conference.

In pic: Sachin Tendulkar becomes the first man to score 50 Test centuries © Associated Press

Smith showered accolades on Sachin, saying,"The guy has scored 50 Test hundreds so it's a bit hard to rate this one. He's scored a few hundreds before I can even remember. Under pressure, being able to score runs is a feather in his cap. "I was a bit surprised that he made life for us so easy this morning. I think MS needs credit for the partnership as well, if he didn t hang around, Sachin wouldn't have got his 50th," he added. "The wicket flattened out a lot. It was hot and windy and the guys showed a lot of character, especially Dale's spell at the end. We were ahead for the whole part of the match. We scored runs at a good pace which gave us a lot of time to bowl India out," Smith stated.

Smith isn't too worried about the fact that India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan will make a comeback in the next Test match. When asked to comment on the possible return of Zaheer for the next Test, Smith said, "I don't personalize things too much. I prepare for Zaheer the same way, I prepare for everyone else. He's a new ball bowler and I'm an opening batsman, so it's a natural challenge. He has obviously bowled well to left handers, so it's an exciting prospect."

Although Smith agreed that it was a good toss to win but at the same time he thought that Indians read a bit too much about the strip which was under covers for four days before the Test match started. "It (winning the toss) was definitely a positive for us. I don't think the wicket actually did that much. For a wicket that was under covers for four days, I thought it would do a bit more. In my mind, I think India expected more from the wicket than what actually happened," the South African skipper said. He explained, "They (Indian batsmen) were tentative and were on the back foot a lot of the time. Our bowlers bowled well. When you bowl on a wicket that you think is going to do a bit, you ve got to get the ball in the right place. We were very controlled and I think we did well."

The skipper was all praise for Jacques Kallis who scored his maiden double century in Test cricket. "He gives us balance. He allows us to play five bowlers which is big thing in Test cricket to have that extra option. We can use him in short aggressive spells. In the modern era, he is the best all rounder. It's hard to compare him with cricketers from other eras."

Smith stressed on the fact that they need to refocus and it won't be easy to get 20 wickets in Durban. "For us, its about getting refocused. Who knows how the wicket will play in Durban, there's been a lot of rain there around this period also. We've got to be realistic. As a batting unit, we've become a very strong top six. "The guys have had good performances for a long time and we'd like to think we are a strong, powerful batting unit and we can cope with conditions wherever we go."

The home team captain admitted that there will be enormous pressure on the Indians to make a comeback in the series. "Pressure will be on the Indian team. When you are down 0-1 in a three-match series, there's always extra pressure. The build-up to the next Test becomes crucial the decisions you make, how you train, the selection, how the squad moves to the next Test. He continued, "They will be feeling a lot of pressure. I know the Indian team always play under pressure, but they will feel it. There's high expectations and they've won a lot of big series and they are No 1 in world. If we can go to Durban and really ut in a good first few days there, it will be great." -PTI

1st Test: South Africa beat India by an innings and 25 runs

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar's historical 50th century was not enough to save India from defeat as South Africa crushed visitors by an innings and 20 runs in the first Test.


In pic: South Africa could not find a way past Sachin Tendulkar but that did not deny them victory © AFP

Earlier, resuming at the overnight score of 454/8, India lost their ninth early as Morne Morkel scalped Sreesanth in the second slip while Unadkat has been removed by Dale Steyn.

Now South Africa lead the 3-match Test series 1-0.

Tendulkar and skipper MS Dhoni put on 172 for the seventh wicket and tried to salvage the reputation of an Indian side defied, but proved not to be match saving for them.

Gautam Gambhir (80) and Virender Sehwag (63) gave a solid start as India staged a spirited fightback after conceding a mammoth 484-run lead on the third day of the first Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

In reply to India's modest 136-run in the first innings, South Africa declared their first innings at an imposing 620 for four riding on Jacques Kallis' maiden unbeaten double century and AB de Villiers' record-breaking 129.

Sachin century pics

rk-sports.blogspot.com brings to you Sachin Tendulkar 50th Century celebration pics

Pic Courtesy: Associated Press and Getty Images

Aapla Sachin Tendulkar, bigger than Mt Everest

India has been waiting for this moment for quite some time and it finally arrived on Sunday when the chips were down and a comeback was difficult. Sachin Tendulkar’s 50th hundred against South Africa in the first Test at Centurion has swelled every Mumbai cricketer’s chest with pride.

In pic: Sachin Tendulkar raises his bat after reaching his 50th Test century

The batting maestro’s seniors, teammates and friends, all have expressed happiness and are proud of the fact that one amongst them has achieved the greatest feat which will be difficult for anyone to achieve.

Former India skipper and Tendulkar’s senior Dilip Vengsarkar was all praise of the feat. “One of its kind,” is how the 116-Test veteran described the Mumbai champ. “He has been consistent for the past 21 years and still keeps motivating himself to do more which is just amazing. His innings not only helped him reach the milestone but also saved India the blushes. What he has achieved is difficult for anyone to achieve because of the different forms of the game being played now,” he said.

The former Mumbai stalwart also said that Tendulkar is the best role model one can ever get. “He is disciplined and focused. The credit goes to his family. He has been humble and modest despite achieving so much. I always tell that he is the best role model to have for the youngsters. It is difficult to choose his best innings. In fact, it’s like asking Amitabh Bachchan which is his favourite film and Lata Mangeshkar, her song,” he said.

His first Mumbai captain at the first-class level, Lalchand Rajput, said his character has taken him to such great heights. “Even when he made his first-class debut, he was not nervous. You could see the confidence in his eyes and the way he scored his first 100. Normally, when you see a talented youngster you tell him that he has it in him, but for Tendulkar it was different,” the former Test cricketer said.

Former teammate Abey Kuruvilla just termed it as “unbelievable”. “The feat is completely unbelievable. He has played for more than 20 years and this kind of hunger only makes it exceptional. It couldn’t have happened to a better person.”

Mumbai skipper Wasim Jaffer said his feat can’t be compared to anyone. “If you leave Bradman, Sachin has been simply terrific. I think every Indian and Maharashtrian will be proud of the feat. He is a great inspiration for everyone.”

His schoolmate and Mumbai teammate Amol Muzumdar was not surprised. “We are so used to his record that it doesn’t leave me amused. I have been part of it since we were in school. When Gavaskar broke Bradman’s record it was a proud moment and now when Sachin has reached this milestone, it can’t get bigger than this,” said Muzumdar.

Mumbai coach Praveen Amre, who was a senior to Sachin, said he has become bigger than “Mt Everest”. -Dna India

Sachin Tendulkar's success stories

As tendulkar provides his fans another chapter in cricketing history, mid day's clayton murzello lets you in on the stories surrounding the icon's most famous three-figure knocks

1990: Sunny's tip does the trick
Sachin Tendulkar's first Test hundred - at Old Trafford in 1990 was a match-saving effort. An evening before the Test was spent at former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer's place which was graced by some members of the Indian team including Tendulkar.


Sachin Tendulkar sports a wide smile on his 1990 tour of England where
he scored the first of his 50 Test centuries. PIC/GETTY IMAGES

The young batsman thrived on the opportunity of spending some quality time with Sunil Gavaskar, who advised him not to chase the ball on those English tracks. "Wait for the ball," was Gavaskar's advice. Tendulkar took that very seriously and helped himself to a masterly hundred a few days later.

1992: It all happened at the SCG
The next Test hundred from the blade of Sachin Tendulkar came in Sydney on the 1991-92 tour to Australia. Veteran Ravi Shastri took a double hundred off the Australians led by old warhorse Allan Border and got some lip service from his aggressive opponents while piling on the runs.

When Tendulkar noticed what his batting partner was being subjected to, he is believed to have told Shastri: "I will give it to them too." We don't know whether Tendulkar (19) wanted to return the favour in terms of words or deeds but Shastri told him to just do his thing with bat in hand.

And he did exactly that scored a classy, unbeaten 148 which made him the youngest ever to score a Test century at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

1992: Who's scared of WACA cracks?
Tendulkar has always maintained that his finest hundred was scored at Perth's Western Australia Cricket Association ground in 1992. His 114 was scored against the likes of pacemen Craig McDermott, Merv Hughes, Paul Reiffel and Mike Whitney.

Wicketkeeper and useful batsman Kiran More, with whom he put on 81 runs for the ninth wicket, remembers: "There were huge cracks on the pitch which you just couldn't take your eyes off. In fact, some of the cracks were so wide that you could actually put your hand into them.

"But we decided to try and forget about this and enjoy ourselves while building a partnership.

"To see him hitting the Aussie quicks on the up through the covers was exhilarating. Not only for me, but also for those in the slip cordon and elsewhere on the field.

"On more than one occasion I think heard tough nuts like Allan Border, Dean Jones and Mark Taylor say ¦ Jesus, this is something special."

Edgbaston solo
In the opening Test of the 1996 Test series against England at Edgbaston, Tendulkar scored a wondrous second innings 122 for a losing cause. The next top-scorer was Sanjay Manjrekar with 18. Richie Benaud didn't waste time in waxing eloquent on air about the hundred being the finest of the year. He went on to add, "and you won't see a better one next year too."

More in Chennai
the India vs Aus Chennai Test of 1998 was anyone's game till the fourth day. Coach Anshuman Gaekwad said that the team needed someone to score around 75 to gain a meaningful advantage. And Tendulkar told him that he would be the man to do it. "I asked for 75, but he got 155," recalled Gaekwad.

Inconsolable
IN the 1999 Chennai Test, Tendulkar was well on his way to scoring a match-winning hundred against arch-rivals Pakistan but was dismissed 17 runs short of the target. India ended up losing by 12 runs. Tendulkar was nowhere to be found at the presentation ceremony. When a journalist asked BCCI biggie Raj Singh Dungarpur as to where the batting maestro was, he said: "Weeping like a kid in the dressing room."

Rhythm & blues
Ajit Agarkar remembers how the then India captain was under severe pressure on the 1999-2000 tour of Aus: "There was a lot being said in the media with the team not faring well and there were statements coming out from India courtesy some Board officials too. I remember Sachin telling me that he was under a lot of pressure. We went to Melbourne for the second Test and he just lit up the MCG. To score that hundred amidst all that pressure was near unbelievable and I am sure he too felt very good about it."

Double glory
John Wright, who coached India from 2001 to 2005 remembers Tendulkar saying that he will not hit the ball in the air before batting against Zimbabwe in the Nagpur Test of 2001. "And he went on to score a double century. His double ton at Sydney in 2004 was unbelievable too. He didn't get a big score until then and in an amazing show of self discipline, he did not hit the ball through cover or cover point region."
(Inputs from Debasish Datta) -MiD-DAY.COM

Tendulkar and Dhoni delay South Africa's win

India 136 and 454 for 8 (Tendulkar 107*, Dhoni 90, Steyn 3-103) trail South Africa 620 for 4 dec by 30 runs



When strong winds and storm clouds forced the players off SuperSport Park late on the fourth day, South Africa were on the verge of winning a Test they had dominated entirely. That they hadn't won by an innings already, and would spend the night hoping the foul weather vanishes in time to take two wickets, was because Sachin Tendulkar scored his 50th Test century in trying circumstances and, with MS Dhoni, forged a counterattacking 172-run partnership that took India within 30 runs of wiping out the monstrous 484-run deficit.

South Africa had taken such a significant stride towards victory by scalping four wickets during the first session that it seemed as though their 1-0 lead would be secure before tea. However, they faced resistance: first from Tendulkar, whose concentration did not waver as his middle-order mates departed meekly, and then from Dhoni, whose belligerent approach brought rewards on a sparsely-populated outfield. South Africa did not take a wicket between lunch and tea. India made 117.

Tendulkar and Dhoni continued to blunt a tiring attack during the final session and whittled the deficit below 100. It needed Dale Steyn - supremely fit, aggressive, and pumped up for one last burst - to bowl a bouncer that rose steeply and seamed towards Dhoni, dismissing him for 90, an innings that began the fightback. Steyn screamed in angry celebration as Dhoni failed to sway and Mark Boucher dived to his right to catch the edge. India were 449 for 7 and the dream of saving the Test was over. Harbhajan Singh nicked to slip soon after and Tendulkar, watching unbeaten from the other end as Jacques Kallis roared uncharacteristically after taking the catch, knew that he would need substantial help from the weather to help India escape.

There was little hope of jailbreak when Dhoni joined Tendulkar right after lunch with India on 277 for 6, trailing by 207. The desperateness of the situation allowed Dhoni to play aggressively and he did so, driving Lonwabo Tsotsobe past mid-off and through cover in the 79th over of the innings. Seeking a quick end, Smith gave the second new ball to Steyn and Morne Morkel, urging them to take the wicket that would expose India's tail. It did not happen. Tendulkar's was calmness and good judgment personified, while Dhoni attacked, sometimes merely pushing the ball with enviable timing through the off side, sometimes lashing drives and cuts with high back-lift and fierce follow-through. Both approaches yielded boundaries, and he began to catch up with Tendulkar.

Mokel leaked 13 in his second over with the new ball. Tendulkar cut him fiercely, and Dhoni pulled and drove through cover. There were a glut of boundaries in the first hour after lunch, three of which Dhoni took off consecutive deliveries from Kallis, leaving the bowler chuntering at the end of the over.

Paul Harris got the odd ball to jump, turn and trouble Tendulkar, but he was largely ineffective, considering he was operating on a fourth-day surface. As the deficit decreased, Dhoni tempered his aggression while Tendulkar continued batting resolutely, his cutting and driving off the back foot being the standout features of the innings.

Tendulkar resumed after tea on 80, his fluency uninterrupted, and flicked and steered Morkel for boundaries to accelerate towards his milestone. South Africa attempted to delay the century by deploying boundary-riders. Out of the blue, Tendulkar charged Harris, lofting cleanly over mid-off to steam into the nineties. He played the paddle sweep, mis-timed another charge against Harris, and was nearly involved in a disastrous mix-up with Dhoni, before punching Steyn through cover point to become the only batsman with 50 Test centuries.

At Old Trafford in 1990, Tendulkar's first Test hundred was made in adversity and it helped India avoid defeat. His 50th, like his first and so many others, was also an attempt at saving the match. His celebrations were not extravagant because India were still struggling.

As the light grew dimmer and the clouds darker, South Africa needed inspiration to end this resistance and Steyn provided it. During the spell in which he dismissed Dhoni, Steyn hit speeds of 145kph, smacking Tendulkar on the gloves, thudding a bouncer into his back and raised South Africa's intensity levels single-handedly.

Before India began to fight, however, they had lost four wickets in quick time, the last of which was Suresh Raina, brittle as ever, hanging his bat outside off stump in the final over before lunch to edge Kallis to slip. His dismissal was the perfect end to a session in which South Africa had performed with patience. Dravid and the nightwatchman Ishant Sharma had played carefully and their partnership lasted 48 minutes, holding up South Africa. The frustration didn't last much longer, however, as Steyn had Ishant caught at short leg.

During his composed innings, Dravid went past 12,000 Test runs but India needed much more from him than 43. Morkel accounted for him by angling one into him before seaming it away, grazing the outside edge of Dravid's tentative push. Laxman wasn't comfortable against pace, either, and eventually edged a full ball to gully, giving Tsotsobe his first wicket of the match. At that point, few would have expected South Africa to face the difficulty they did. -Cricinfo

Tendulkar focussed amid the frenzy

There were whites, there were blacks, there were browns at the grass banks of SuperSport Park, and all they wanted was for Sachin Tendulkar's 50th Test hundred to come in front of them

He was in a foreign land. At least a land that has stayed the most foreign to India even after their resurgence away from home. They started chanting "Sachin, Sachin" from the time he guided one past short third man to move to 88. There were whites, there were blacks, there were browns at the grass banks of SuperSport Park, and all they wanted was for Sachin Tendulkar's 50th Test hundred to come in front of them.

It was difficult to not let that affect you, but Tendulkar was in a different sphere. He was trying to save a game, trying to kill time, trying to run through the deficit. He took his time to get to 89, and South Africa tried to cut out boundary-scoring areas. A forward short leg came in, Morne Morkel bowled bouncers, around the helmet area, and into the ribs. Tendulkar kept ducking, the lower ones he kept keeping out; if he was nervous, he wasn't showing it. Against Paul Harris, who has somehow managed to be India's nemesis, he hit a straight six to send the crowd into frenzy again.


In pic: Sachin Tendulkar says a quiet word to the heavens after his 50th Test century © Gallo Images

The chants started again. When at 97, he faced another flurry of bouncers. One of them went for five wides. Ten deliveries he spent on 97. Then came Dale Steyn. He got an inside-edge past midwicket to move to 99. Then he squirted one between cover and extra cover, celebrating as he ran the 100th run. Not extravagantly. The helmet came off, the back arched a bit, and he looked up to the skies. Not sure he noticed, but there were clouds headed towards the ground. He had a chat with MS Dhoni, with whom he had added 160 priceless runs. He then raised the bat to the dressing room for a brief second, then to the crowd for a little while longer, and went back to business. There was a Test to be saved. This was not the time to get carried away.- Cricinfo

BREAKING NEWS: Sachin scores 50th century

Sachin Tendulkar becomes the 1st man on planet to score 50th Century.