First in 5 years: Tendulkar takes the bat once again (Lead)

Melbourne, Feb 9 (IANS) Sachin Tendulkar is known to have been particularly devastating against the great Australian teams, he had played against in his illustrious career. On Sunday, he donned the Australian green and gold to play an over during the innings break of the Bushfire Cricket Bash legends match.Tendulkar was facing Australia's star all rounder and 2019 Women's Cricketer of the Year Ellyse Perry in the over and Annabel Sutherland. He said while walking up to the pitch that it was the first time in five years that he was picking up a bat and the 46-year-old ended up hitting a four off the first ball he faced. Tendulkar is in Melbourne as coach of the team led by former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who are playing against a team led by former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. Perry, however, threw a challenge to Tendulkar on Saturday via a video message tweeted by the Australian women's team. Tendulkar in turn accepted the challenge. "Sounds great Ellyse. I would love to go out there & bat an over (much against the advice of my doctor due to my shoulder injury). Hope we can generate enough money for this cause, & to get me out there in the middle," he said.
--IANS rkm/sdr/dpb