July 05  
Tendulkar scores 32nd one-day century 

CHESTER-LE-STREET, England: Sachin Tendulkar scored his 32nd one-day international century as India notched an imposing 285 for four off their 50 overs in their triangular series one-day international against England on Thursday. 

Tendulkar made 105 not out while Rahul Dravid scored 82 after initially rescuing India from 52 for three and combining in a 169-run partnership. 

Their stand was a fourth-wicket record for India against England, though still a long way off the 275 Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja scored against Zimbabwe in 1998. 

Both players were initially content to work the ball around for singles, particularly off frontline bowlers Darren Gough and Andrew Flintoff, and allrounder Ronnie Irani. 

Dravid brought up the 100-partnership with a mistimed pull through midwicket for two runs then drove the next ball from Gough down to longoff to bring up his 50. 

Tendulkar followed to the 50-mark shortly afterwards when he guided the ball behind square for a single. 

The pair then accelerated the scoring rate after the 40th over and attacked left-arm spinner Ashley Giles and medium pacer James Kirtley, smashing 33 runs off the next three overs. 

But with the field scattered wide, Dravid fell into a trap when he picked up a Paul Collingwood half volley and flicked it to deep midwicket where Flintoff took an easy catch in the 45th over Yuvraj Singh then joined Tendulkar and the scoring rate did not slow, with Singh particularly brutal on Collingwood, smashing 16 runs off the 47th over. 

Tendulkar then scored his century with a drive into the offside off Kirtley in the 49th over. Singh brought up their 50 partnership with a six off Gough in the final over off 28 balls, as the pair combined for 64 runs from just 5.3 overs. 

Singh ended on 40 not out, off just 19 balls that included four boundaries and one six. 

Earlier, Gough claimed Indian captain Sourav Ganguly lbw for a duck with the first ball of the match. 

Virender Sehwag and Dinesh Mongia then took their side through to 48 for one in the eighth over when Sehwag was caught by Marcus Trescothick off Kirtley for 16. 

Mongia fell just four runs later when Gough had him caught by Flintoff for 27. Essex captain Irani was the most impressive of the England bowlers conceding just 23 runs off 10 overs. 

India have won the first two of their games in the series which also includes Sri Lanka. England have won two matches out of three.