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Intriguing duel Warne warms to battle with Tendulkar
BOMBAY, India (Reuters) - Australian leg spinner Shane Warne said Wednesday his duel with Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar in the test series starting next week would be one of the "little battles" that made cricket exciting. "There are a lot of battles in a series -- like (Glenn) McGrath bowling to the openers or me bowling to Sachin. It's good, exciting cricket. Good fun for everyone," said Warne ahead of a three-day match against national champion Bombay which begins Thursday. Tendulkar won the duel with Warne in the 1998 series in India, scoring 446 runs in five innings including two centuries for a series average of 111.5. Warne took only 10 wickets in the three tests at an average of 54. But the leg spinner said he had changed a lot since then. "I'm a better bowler now than I was three years ago. "Last time I had a shoulder injury. This time I'm in good shape," added Warne, who missed Australia's recent 5-0 sweep of the West Indies with a finger injury. Besides Tendulkar, Warne said Rahul Dravid and Indian captain Saurav Ganguly would be the batsmen to watch out for in the series of three tests and five one-day internationals. Warne said he had drawn up a separate plan to tackle each batsman. "We know the way they bat and they know the way we bowl. So it's a matter of coming up with some different plans. I have a few different ones for this trip." Warne said his team, which has notched up a record 15 consecutive test victories, would concentrate on its own game rather than worry about India. "That's what we've been doing recently. It has paid rich dividends." Not intimidated Australia has not won a test series in India since Bill Lawry led his team to a 3-1 win in 1969 and Tendulkar says India will not be intimidated by Australia's record-breaking run of test wins. "They (Australia) are a good team and nobody is underestimating them. We should concentrate on our side. "They have won 15 matches in a row but we have to forget that and compete," Tendulkar said. Tendulkar will not play for Bombay because of a calf muscle injury but will be fit for the first of three tests starting in Bombay on February 27. "I am not thinking about missing this (three-day) match but thinking about the 27th and of taking a few good catches and runs and whatever," Tendulkar said. Warne, McGrath, Mark Waugh return Warne, McGrath and Mark Waugh return to the Australian side to face Bombayafter having been rested for Australia's first tour game in the western city of Nagpur earlier this week. They replace middle-order batsman Damien Martyn and fast bowlers Michael Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie. Captain Steve Waugh had said last week he would ensure all 14 players in the squad got a chance to stake a claim for the first test. Australia: Steve Waugh (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Damien Fleming, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath, Colin Miller, Ricky Ponting, Michael Slater, Shane Warne, Mark Waugh.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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