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Tendulkar's hundred generates some heat

Indians (173-1) bt Duke of Norfolk's XI (168-9) by 9 wkts

The Arundel Castle Cricket Club was as welcoming as ever for the traditional first high-profile game of the touring team to England. The exception on the hospitality front was the weather: it was cold and soon after lunch it rained, but that only gave the many schoolboys another chance to play their own matches on the wide green outfield, and a display of flowing strokeplay by Sachin Tendulkar combined with some pale evening sunshine sent everyone home happy.

The morning, too, had been fresh and beautiful, the bluebells out beneath the woods and the hawthorn vividly white along the lanes that lead to the South Downs. These matches usually attract some expatriates to Sussex to give the touring team some early support but yesterday, after the excited din of the World Cup, the overwhelming impression of any Indians coming here for the first time must have been one of old-fashioned silence.

Until Tendulkar and the quick-footed Navjot Singh Sidhu combined to make the 168 for nine managed by the Duke of Norfolk's XI, all was gentle murmur and quiet applause. Twenty-two in five balls by Tendulkar off John Childs, however, including two wonderfulstraight-driven sixes, was batting of a quality to bring the most staid spectator to life.

There was a crowd in excess of 3,000, the wisest well wrapped up, and the first phase of the cricket was competitive, with Robin Smith keen to remind the selectors that he is as ambitious as ever. He made his point; up to a point. All were reminded of Tendulkar's genius, his hundred coming from 97 balls.

Sussex play Hampshire here in July but there will be many matches in between, the home side playing in future under the Earl of Arundel, the Duke's son, who has succeeded the late Duchess as president of a thriving club. And it will get warmer.