Preparing for the climax If this were a Hollywood movie, one could well imagine John Wright sitting the Indians down and giving them the crucial big-match pep-talk in a tough, no-nonsense, Hollywood accent. And it would be well warranted too. The Oval Test could possibly be India's best chance to win a series abroad for some time to come, and it only tilts the odds further in their favour that it also happens to be Sachin Tendulkar's 100th Test. Tendulkar is keenly aware of history, and no doubt he will relish the chance to make the stage bigger with a century or two and an Indian win. Not that the rest are not as keen; Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly are in such scintillating form that their hands must be itching to get on a bat handle. All of which, then, makes for a super-climactic end to what has been a fascinating series. One can only hope that it is capped by that elusive dream - an Indian win.

Tendulkar set to become youngest to play 100 Tests When Sachin Tendulkar plays his 100th Test on Thursday, he will be the youngest to achieve the feat. Without doubt it will be a special occasion for the 29-year-old. "Reaching 100 Tests would be special for anyone, because not many players have played that many. I have enjoyed and cherished every moment and it was one of my dreams to play 100 Test matches for India. That's when you can feel you have achieved something in life and contributed to the best of your ability." Tendulkar is conscious of the fact that India will be looking for their first series win outside the sub-continent since 1986, when England were also the opponents. "Winning is all about delivering when the situation demands and I feel we have a better balanced team to deliver now," said Tendulkar. "Whether it is England, Australia, Bangladesh or Kenya it doesn't matter, winning at international level is special and we want to carry on winning." "It's not going to be easy, there are five days of cricket left and probably the most important five days of the series. We will have to pull up our socks and play the kind of cricket we played for five days at Headingley," he added. "It's important, we have been trying for so many years to win a series overseas and now the time has come where we stand a chance and a fair chance, I would say," said Tendulkar. "The last Test match was very good, the ideal Test match one would hope for. To bat first, score big runs, put the opposition in, get them out and then finish them off. The batters got runs, the bowlers took wickets and we held some good catches." Read the entire article here

Trescothick hopes for full fitness by Thursday Marcus Trescothick believes he is a likely starter for the fourth Test against The Oval on Thursday, despite playing in just two one-day games since breaking his thumb in a C&G match at Taunton six weeks ago. Speaking after a net session against a bowling machine delivering up to 85mph, Trescothick said,"If I was pushed I would say I'm more likely to play than not. There were a couple of balls from Matthew Hoggard in Saturday's C&G Final which I felt, but it's been like that in nearly every net session." The Somerset bat added that it was a question of mental more than physical preparation. "Once you get through the pain barrier it seems to be all right. It is a mental barrier for me to get over - it was a bad break and it's all a question of me getting over it because it's mainly a confidence thing."~

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