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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Second youngest century maker in Tests



119 not out vs England at Manchester 1990 - He was just 17 when he became the second youngest century maker in Tests. And it was a ton which rescued India from defeat and steered them to an honourable draw. Set to get 408 runs for a victory in 88 overs India lost six wickets for 183 when Manoj Prabhakar joined Tendulkar playing in his ninth Test. There were still 2-1/ hours remaining and the odds were on an England victory. Displaying the temperament that was to become his hallmark over the next two decades Tendulkar held the England attack at bay with a disciplined show of immense maturity. Graham Gooch crowded the bat and shuffled his bowlers like a croupier but Tendulkar and Prabhakar carried on regardless adding 160 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket and at final draw of stumps India were 343 for six. As Wisden noted "Of the six centuries scored in this fascinating contest none was more outstanding than Tendulkar’s which rescued India on the final afternoon. He looked the embodiment of Sunil Gavaskar and indeed was wearing a pair of his pads. While he displayed a full repertoire of strokes in compiling his maiden Test hundred most remarkable were the off side shots off the backfoot. Though only five feet, five inches tall he was able to control without difficulty short deliveries from the English pacemen." For the record Tendulkar batted 224 minutes and hit 17 fours.

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