Warm-up Match: Nottinghamshire v India Rick Eyre - 11 May 1999 CricInfo report

Sachin strikes form

If he ever was really away, Sachin Tendulkar showed at Trent Bridge yesterday that he is back. Missing from the international scene for most the last two months due to back trouble, Tendulkar came close to scoring a century as India defeated Nottinghamshire by 88 runs in a rain-reduced encounter yesterday.

An unusual beginning to the day for India happened when Ajay Jadeja took the toss, Mohammad Azharuddin stepping down as captain for the day, although still part of the eleven. The Shape of Things To Come? Jadeja won the toss and chose to bat. Ganguly went early, dismissed for 2, the sole victim of West Indian all-rounder Vasbert Drakes, who bowled with accuracy.

Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid added 155 for the second wicket, with Sachin the dominant partner. In sight of his hundred, he was brilliantly caught by Matthew Dowman off the bowling of Mark Bowen for 91. Tendulkar faced 113 balls and hit seven fours and a six. Dravid, so often maligned even to the point of being nicknamed Snail by Indian supporters, took just 96 deliveries to score 89 (6 fours, one six). With Azharuddin and Jadeja contributing a dozen each, the Indian innings ended after 44 overs because of a rain interrruption earlier in the day, the total 243 for 5.

Under the Duckworth-Lewis rules Notts' target was increased to 247, but they were never close to getting those runs. Srinath made a triple breakthrough to have their county hosts reeling at 29 for 3. Lbw's to the credit of Agarkar, Ganguly and Kumble respectively further pushed the score to 107 for 6. Jason Gallian (79*) and Vasbert Drakes (23*) saw Notts through to 159 for 6 at the close.

Among the Indian bowlers, having their first and only workout in the warmup series, Srinath took 3/21 from his eight overs, Kumble claiming 1/20 from his nine. Venkatesh Prasad's nine overs were worth 0/39, the most costly of the innings.

India completed their warmup program with a 1-0 record (2 no results). The real thing starts for them at Hove on Saturday against tournament favourites South Africa.