Indian cricketing superstar Sachin Tendulkar is favoured to bring up his 100th international century in the first Test against Australia in Melbourne, according to one Australian bookmaker. Online bookmaker sportsbet.com.au has installed the Boxing Day Test as the most likely venue for the historic milestone at odds of 9/4. Poised on 99 international centuries across Test and one-day matches, Tendulkar retired on 92 in the tourists’ final day of a two-day tour match against the Chairman’s XI in Canberra last week.
“He is in good form with a 90-odd against the Chairman’s XI already under his belt since arriving in Australia and he’s a very good chance to achieve the phenomenal milestone during the Boxing Day Test,” the firm’s Ben Hawes said. “And if not, he can take some respite in the fact that the next game is at the SCG where he has pummelled Australia on several occasions.” The Sydney Cricket Ground is the second chance favourite with punters, with odds at 3/1, followed by the third Test at Perth at 5/1 and the fourth Test at Adelaide 7/1. The prospect of Tendulkar — who has been a perennial thorn in the side of Australia’s bowlers, averaging 60.6 with 11 centuries in 31 Tests against them — completing the series without hitting his 100th century is at 12/5.
