SHARJAH, April 24: Indian cricket found a Man Friday in Sachin Tendulkar in the desert kingdom of Sharjah. Indian expats here rejoiced with their countrymen all over the world as Tendulkar chose the final day action here to celebrate his birthday bash in style -- with a 15th One-Day International (ODI) century that enabled his country to annex the tri-series Coca-Cola Cup.This has been Tendulkar's tournament. With successive scores of 40, 80, 38, 143 and now 134 (131 balls, 3x6, 12x4) there was no doubt about who the man of the tournament award would be the swank Opel Astra was the icing on his birthday cake.
There were more awards for the Little Master: $2,500 as the man of the series, $1,500 as the man of the match and $1000 for hitting the most sixes in the tournament.
``I wish I can have many more birthdays like this. It's good for the country,'' said Indian cricket's Richie Rich.
Tendulkar's party was spoilt by umpire Javed Akhtar, who declared him out to a ball from Michael Kasparowicz,bowling round the wicket, that was pitching outside the leg and the angle looking like missing the off stump as well. It was the second time Tendulkar had received a dubious decision -- in the last match he was out to a ball that should have been declared a no ball.
Mohammed Azharuddin (58) too received a poor decision. But Tendulkar had done enough with his skipper to bring India on the threshold of victory. And Hrishikesh Kanitkar hit the winning runs, like he did in the Independence Cup at Dhaka earlier in the year, by six wickets and nine balls to spare. Not much later the crowd joined the party by breaking into ``Happy Birthday, Sachin...''
Earlier, Australian skipper Steve Waugh 70 in 71 balls (4x4, 1x6) and Darren Lehmann 70 in 59 balls (6x4, 1x6) figured in a 103-run stand for the sixth wicket which helped rally from 121 for five in the 27th over to a very commanding total after put in to bat.
In the end, the Australian team effort was too big for Tiny Ten. Skipper Steve Waugh probably said itall in a brief post-match summation: ``There is no shame in beaten by a great player.'' No shame indeed. A player Tony Greig reckons is the closest one has seen to the peerless Sir Don Bradman.
And as the Indian cricket team, richer by Rs 10 lakh announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, occupied every available space inside and outside Tendulkar's Opel during its lap of honour around the Sharjah Stadium, one thought kept haunting the mind. When Ravi Shastri asked Tendulkar if he believed he was batting at his best, the Little Champion replied: ``I would like to be better than this!''
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
