Cricket: Tendulkar the bowler too hot for Australia

SACHIN TENDULKAR had a good day in the unusual role of match-winning bowler as India beat Australia by 41 runs in the opening game of the Pepsi triangular one-day tournament in Cochin yesterday.

Tendulkar's occasional spin bowling broke the back of Australia's innings after the openers Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh blasted 101 off 11.2 overs in pursuit of India's 309 for 5 in 50 overs. Australia, having reached 202 for 3 in the 32nd over, lost their last seven wickets for 66 and were all out for 268 in 45.5 overs.

Bowling his 10-over spell unchanged, Tendulkar took 5 for 32, his first five-wicket haul in a one-day game, and won him the man of the match award. He got the ball to lift and turn as he bowled a mix of off-breaks, leg- breaks and simply slow deliveries on a pitch that favoured the batsmen.

After Australia's flying start, Michael Bevan was the only batsman to make an impact with 65 before becoming Tendulkar's third victim, stumped by Nayan Mongia as he missed a drive.

Steve Waugh was caught and bowled by Tendulkar for 26 as he came out to drive a ball pitching on leg stump and turning in. Darren Lehmann was lbw to Tendulkar as he tried to glance a slow in-cutter. Tom Moody was stumped attempting a huge heave off a Tendulkar leg-break, after hitting the leg-spinner Anil Kumble for three fours in a single over.

India's innings, reduced to 19 for 2 after Mike Kasprowicz had removed Navjot Sidhu and Tendulkar, was revived by Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja.

Azharuddin, making his world record 274th one-day international appearance to beat Allan Border's tally of 273, stroked 82 off 92 balls, hitting 10 fours. The home captain put on 104 for the fourth wicket with Jadeja, who hit an unbeaten 105.