Under-rated England paceman Tim Bresnan trapped Tendulkar in front for 91 at The Oval, on the final day of the fourth Test.
Australian umpire Rod Tucker gave the decision, with replays showing the delivery would have clipped leg stump. A none too pleased Tendulkar left to an standing ovation.
So he’s still stuck on 99 international tons – 51 in Tests, and 48 in ODIs – with time running out. Today Tendulkar is 38 years and 120 days old,
The more staggering stat is the number of times he’s been dismissed in the 90s, in both formats: nine in Tests and 18 in ODIs.
For such a record-breaking batsman, and his longevity of 22 years at the top, 27 dismissals in the shadow of a century is hard to get the head around.
Nothing new in that. Tenduldar’s mountainous figures are way beyond the norm.
His 99 tons are way ahead of Ricky Ponting’s 69, Jacques Kallis’ 57, Brian Lara’s 53, and Rahul Dravid’s 46.
Tendulkar’s batted 635 times in both formats, Ponting’s next with 535, Dravid 495, Kallis 475, and Lara’s 420.
And a binocular distance ahead in runs scored: Tendulkar 32,972, Ponting 26,335, Kallis 23,686, Dravid 23.381. and Lara’s 22,358.
But the highest score honour of the quality quintet rests with Lara’s unbeaten 400, Dravid’s 270, Ponting’s 257, Tendulkar’s 248, and Kallis’ 201 not out.
While Sachin Tendulkar is setting batting milestones that won’t be matched, Sri Lankan speedster Lasith Malinga is doing likewise with the ball.
Overnight against Australia in Colombo, the “Slinger” became the first ODI bowler to grab three hat-tricks.
He was already the only four wickets in four balls record-holder, set in a World Cup game against South Africa in 2007.
His second was against Kenya, all bowled, earlier this year. And last night he bowled Mitchell Johnson, trapped John Hastings in front, and skittled Xavier Doherty – all with searing pace.
Only three other bowlers have posted two ODI hat-tricks – Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, and Chaminda Vaas. But all three are retired, so no threat to the “Slinger”.
And only three Australians have achieved the feat once: Bruce Reid against New Zealand in 1986, Anthony Stuart against Pakistan in 1997, and Brett Lee against Kenya in 2003.
Stuart is the most extraordinary story.
He only played three ODIs. His hat-trick game that netted 5-26 was his last. Australia won by three runs with three balls remaining, but Stuart was never seen again.
The vagaries of selection.
Aware
Guest
Perhaps I went over the top a bit, so you are justified in biting back, D.L. and I am prepared to apologize for my tone. However, you may have put Malinga's efforts in their proper context as a dead rubber bounce...or Tendulkar's very flirty and wafty innings into perspective, in which he was lucky to even get that many runs on the docile Oval pitch, a traditional batsman's paradise. I very much disagree with the view that these two left anyone "in their wake".
David Lord
Expert
Aware, you don't have to be a winner to grab a headline, you have conclusively proved that point.
Aware
Guest
To elaborate: This is what is commonly called a "trivial-hyperbolic" article; ie, using exagerated language about a non-event to build up that non-event as a newsworthy story, when it is really quite trivial and of low importance in the broader picture of events. It's a well-worn tabloid technique, used when news of real substance is either elusive or politically antagonistic to the editorial philosophy. A perfect example of this in a different context was when Rupert Murdoch's wife defended him against a prankster when he was being grilled about the hacking scandal. The "newsworthy" story then shifted to become his wife's actions rather than the hearing itself. This comes under the category of "politically antagonistic to the editorial philosophy" in respect to the media seeing one of its own being grilled by the authorities.
Aware
Guest
What a useless and unnecessary article, Mr Lord. Both teams, India and Sri Lanka lost the series they were playing in. Yet you praise a couple of individual efforts by players from losing teams and ignore the efforts of the winning teams, except to take a jibe at an Australian umpire. This is one pathetic wreck of an article.
JohnB
Guest
Somewhat less flattering piece on the Tendulkar innings in the UK Telegraph today - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/india/8716761/England-v-India-Sachin-Tendulkars-limitations-have-been-exposed-on-this-troubled-tour.html That goes a bit too far the other way for mine, but a bit of perspective doesn't go astray. Great as Tendulkar's figures are, they are not so off the charts as to be unreachable. To match them would require a great player to play for a long time, but they are not any quantum leap over anyone else. In a way, they're a little like Courtney Walsh's bowling record - a product of durability and longevity rather than of overwhelmingly superior ability (though I do think Tendulkar was a good deal bettter batsman than Walsh was a bowler). If you're looking for a "mightiest milestone" in international cricket that was "way beyond the norm" I think you looked at the wrong Sri Lankan - Muralitharan's 67 test 5 fors in 133 games (and 22 ten wicket matches - 1 every 6 matches) really are staggering figures. Malinga's 3rd hat trick is more a statistical quirk. Good luck to him and he's a very good one day bowler, but he doesn't stand out from his peers. His overall one day figures aren't better than, for example, Brett Lee's (who's maintained them for much longer). I'm afraid I also can't get too awestruck when his test figures are a decent but not more than that 101 wickets from 30 games at 33.
Chris
Guest
What a shame Tendulkar lost concentration so close to his 100th 100. Then again, if he's capable of getting 91 against the "best team in the world", I'm sure he'll easily knock out another century during the Australian tour this summer...:)
West Lakes Rick
Guest
Malinga is the games greatest ever dead-rubber specialist. I've never seen a man perform so well when it doesn't matter but struggle when there is a glimpse of pressure.
Zolton
Editor
Thanks Kersi, we've fixed that now (ed.)
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
An excellent statistical roundup of two record wreckers, David. Tendulkar falling 9 runs short of a historic milestone and India losing their last 7 wickets for 20 odd runs made my stomach churn. David, a minor correction. It is Malinga, not Malinger.