Tendulkar ton downs Windies

Sachin Tendulkar brought up his hundred from the last ball of India's innings in Vadodara © Getty Images

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An abysmal batting performance saw West Indies crash to a 160-run defeat and go down 3-1 in the four-match one-day international series against India in Vadodara.

Sachin Tendulkar’s 41st ODI century had earlier set-up the hosts massive 341 for three, but in pursuit, Brian Lara’s team never threatened and in the end slumped to 181 all out in just over 40 overs.

Only Marlon Samuels (55) and Denesh Ramdin (40) offered some resistance for the tourists, who were playing their final ODI before the World Cup gets underway in just under six weeks.

First to go was Chris Gayle for six, cleaned bowl by a perfect off-cutter by Ajit Agarkar, which made a mess of his stumps with the score on 10.

Zaheer Khan was next to strike drawing Shivnarine Chanderpaul into playing a cross-batted swat that flew to Harbhajan Singh at deep square leg for 14.

A superb diving catch by Yuvraj Singh then brought to an end Devon Smith’s attempt to stabilise the innings as he flung himself into the air at short mid-wicket to send the batsman back to the pavilion for 24, giving Irfan Pathan his first wicket.

With the Windies reeling at 65 for three, Pathan brought Lara’s final innings on India soil to a sad end, when he was unluckily run out for three at the non-strikers end.

At the age of 37, Lara is not expected to play again in India and will feel somewhat unfortunate after Pathan dropped a caught-and-bowled chance by Samuels onto the stumps to bring about his downfall.

Tendulkar played shots all round the wicket

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And the score became 83 for five when another run-out brought about the demise of Lendl Simmons for four, after a direct hit from substitute fielder Suresh Raina at backward point.

Wicket-keeper Ramdin and Samuels then did well to steady the innings, adding 65 for the sixth wicket, before Anil Kumble drew the latter into playing slightly early and he chipped the ball straight to Pathan.

That put an end to any hopes of a comeback and Ramdin then swept Harbhajan straight to Kumble at deep mid-wicket.

The veteran spinner was again in the act eight balls later when he trapped Dwayne Smith leg before wicket for a duck.

Agarkar had Rayad Emrit caught by Robin Uthappa for 14, before Yuvraj wrapped up the match, when he had Daren Powell caught by Raina at cover for one, with Ian Bradshaw remaining not out on 14.

Earlier, an unbeaten whirlwind 100 from Tendulkar helped India post the highest score in an ODI at Vadodara.

Fifties from Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid also hoisted the home side's total.

Having lost the toss and been put into bat, Indian openers Uthappa and Ganguly quickly set about punishing the tourists with a 47-run partnership in the first seven overs.

Powell split the pairing, with Uthappa edging the ball to Gayle at first slip on 28, but Ganguly and Dravid then took control with a century partnership which set India on their way.

Former captain Ganguly was the first to reach his half-century from 58 balls, but he was finally halted on 68, stumped by Ramdin off Gayle.

His dismissal marked the arrival of Tendulkar and the runs began to accumulate once more.

Another 100-run partnership, in which Dravid recorded his 76th one-day fifty, left the Windies struggling for answers until Samuels removed the India captain - caught at long on by Simmons - for 78.

Tendulkar marched on towards his century, although he had fortune on his side after being dropped by both Lara and Smith on 85 and 91 respectively.

He finally reached the milestone in just 76 balls, and was ably assisted by an unbeaten 40 off 20 balls from Mahendra Singh Dhoni.