More than a simple battle between bat and ball

The last time these two great players met Sachin played 'Warney' like a bully treats a school kid in the playground. On the spinning pitches in his home country, Sachin was brutal in his attack of the world's greatest legspinner.

I will never forget reading the morning paper on the day of the first Test match between Australia and India in the sub continent. After Warney dismissed the Indian maestro for four in the first innings you could have been mistaken for thinking Warne versus Tendulkar was bigger news than the assassination of an American president. The front pages of the local press branded the contest as a battle of the greats, with the blond Aussie legend coming up trumps in the first battle of the war.

Unfortunately for Australia and the proud Australian press and public, Sachin came out in the second innings with all guns blazing, blasting an unbelievable 150 in front of his beloved Indian supporters. From that moment onwards Sachin seemed to play the incredibly talented Warne with an arrogance and confidence usually associated with a heavy weight boxing champion.

Amazingly Sachin was able to master a skill in those Test-match clashes that very few, if any, other player's in the world have been able to achieve on a cricket field. At his most confident Warney tends to bowl around the wicket into the rough patches outside a right hand batsman's leg stump. Nine out of ten player's look to pad away the prolifically spinning ball or at the very best attempt to simply survive the ball that often spins and kicks like an irate cobra.

In contrast to the norm, Sachin often danced down the pitch and hit Warney's spitting cobras over midwicket or mid-on, with some of the mightiest blows I have ever witnessed. Without fear, the champion batsman from India, who uses one of the heaviest bats in the game, hit across the ball spinning from leg to off stump, ignored the angry rough patches and dominated the Aussie attack brilliantly. Take it from me, this is unbelievable batting reserved for the greatest of players.

Tomorrow at the Oval the confrontation continues. Undoubtedly there are more than two fantastic cricket players on show in the first round of the Super Sixes, but considering the influence these men have on the performance of their respective teams, the winner of their individual war could prove to have a monumental effect on the game's result. The mind game will be engaging as the two will throw away all respect as they look to gain the early advantage.

Although I am no mathematical genius it looks like this first game could also prove to be very influential on the chances of either of these teams progression into the semi-finals. India versus Australia, Warne versus Tendulkar, however you want to look at it tomorrow is another heavy weight title fight not to be missed.

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