Cricket: Missing link damages Tendulkar's bid for record

An abdominal injury sustained during the second one-dayer forced Sachin Tendulkar to retire in Christchurch yesterday. Photo / Getty Images

The New Zealand pace bowler fortunate to avoid India's latest batting onslaught was unwittingly responsible for Sachin Tendulkar abandoning the pursuit of a unique cricketing milestone yesterday.

Tendulkar, whose sublime 163 set the scene for India's 58-run victory in game three of the five-match one-day series, was visualising becoming the first batsman to reach the 200-run barrier until a lingering body blow forced him to retire hurt after 45 overs of the tourists' impregnable of 392 for four.

Already the holder of the most ODI runs and centuries by a batsman, Tendulkar's first hundred on New Zealand soil - 19 years after he first toured here - threatened to blossom into something more even special at AMI Stadium.

He reached his 43rd ODI century in 101 balls and after motoring past 150 he seriously contemplated surpassing the biggest individual ODI innings on record - the 194 Pakistani opener Saeed Anwar amassed against a team including Tendulkar at Chennai in May 1997.

Instead the 35-year-old had to settle for the second highest knock of his 425-match ODI career when it became apparent a delivery by Iain O'Brien during the Wellington washout on Friday would thwart his ambitions.

"Towards the end I was hopeful I would be able to get it (200) if I stayed there to the 50th over, it was in the vicinity," Tendulkar said after India secured an unbeatable 2-0 lead.

But O'Brien, an observer after he was replaced by Tim Southee, spared his teammates further ignominy as India exceeded the 376 for two made at Hyderabad a decade ago - the previous best ODI innings made against New Zealand.

"I got hit in my abs (abdominals) off O'Brien and the muscle was quite sore," said Tendulkar, explaining the discomfort intensified when he entered the 60s.

"I knew with every big hit I was damaging it - there came a stage where I just knew I couldn't go on."

Tendulkar retreated after creaming 16 boundaries and five sixes.

His unscripted departure was a belated boost for stand-in captain Brendon McCullum who despaired of dismissing the diminutive strokemaker after asking India to bat first.

"It wasn't until he started walking off that it was out of reach, the ease at which he was playing ... a double hundred was certainly a possibility.

"I can hardly remember a shot that he didn't hit out of the middle. There were times he was playing with half a blade and still hitting in any area he wanted."

Tendulkar shared in century stands with Yuvraj Singh (87) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (68).

Yuvraj and Tendulkar added 138 for the third wicket and notably 69 came in a five over burst when India astutely took their batting power play in the 23rd over - a strategy that knocked McCullum and his bowlers out of kilter.

Southee eventually made his own unfortunate mark in the record books - his 0-105 was the most expensive 10-over spell by a New Zealand ODI bowler.

Grant Elliott's seven overs cost 60 and Ryder went for 56 off five - though he later avenged his treatment.

New Zealand was undoubtedly weakened by Daniel Vettori's absence - he was excused to remain in Auckland and await the birth of his first child.

McCullum's bowling permutations were also complicated when Ian Butler reported a thigh strain halfway through his allocation and Jacob Oram is rationed to an eight-over maximum as he returns from an Achilles strain.

Oram was easily New Zealand's most economical bowler taking none for 34, including a maiden, while Kyle Mills took a respectable two for 58 in his 100th match.

Challenged to maintain a scoring rate of 7.86 an over from ball one, New Zealand required a flawless chase.

McCullum (71) and Ryder (105) started pugnaciously with their own boundary barrage worth 166 from 132 balls, but when they were separated by a run out five wickets toppled for 37.

They were eventually dismissed for 334 with 29 balls remaining.

Ryder, who struck a dozen boundaries and five sixes, deservedly registered his breakthrough ton from 72 balls in what could amount to a watershed innings for the talented though occasionally distracted dasher.

The teams head to Hamilton tomorrow, where game four is scheduled for Wednesday.

Both medical staffs will be busy as Butler's quadriceps and Tendulkar's upset tummy are monitored.

New Zealand also anxiously await news on Vettori's availability.

- NZPA