Umpiring gaffe short-circuits Tendulkar century

Sachin Tendulkar looked set for a hundred when umpire Lloyd Barker overlooked Ian Bishop overstepping the crease and declared the Indian skipper out, eight runs shoft of his his twelfth century.

By then, Tendulkar's brilliant innings, which followed his 88 in the second Test, had put his side in pole position to force a result as India reached 249 for three at stumps in reply to the West Indies's 298. Rahul Dravid was unbeaten on a fine, well-crafted 71 and Saurav Ganguly, who came in at the fall of Tendulkar's wicket, was on 21.

"I can't say that Sachin suffers from the nervous 90s. A century for him is nothing new. But the television replays showed that it was a definite no-ball," India's manager D V Subba Rao said.

Tendulkar had given the Barbadian crowd enough indication why he is one of the most exciting batsmen in the world before he was superbly caught at gully by a diving Sherwin Campbell at third slip. Television replays showed that Bishop, the Trinidadian fast bowler, had indeed delivered a no-ball, which West Indian umpire Barker overlooked.

The Indian skipper put on a third wicket stand of 170 with Dravid, a new record for a partnership at the Kensington Oval between the two sides. Madhav Apte and Vijay Hazare held the previous record of 112 in the 1952-53 series.

Tendulkar made his intentions clear from the second of the 147 balls he faced. When Franklyn Rose dropped one short, Sachin pulled him savagely through square leg for the first of his 14 fours. He also hit one six in his nearly 240 minute innings.

Only Curtly Ambrose -- who was no-balled several times in one over shortly before Barker's gaffe -- escaped punishment. Tendulkar hit three fours off Dillion's second over and struck four off Bishop's eight-over second spell.