Date-stamped : 14 Feb95 - 10:54 Central Districts v India Napier, 14 February 1995 India sends warning with NZ tour win Star batsman Sachin Tendulkar hit an unbeaten century on Tuesday to help India to a nine-wicket win over Central Districts and send a warning to the other teams in the one-day cricket cen- tenary series. The 21-year-old right-hander`s 139 helped India cruise to victory in a warm-up match before their opening game on Thursday against New Zealand in the quadrangular series, which also in- volves Australia and South Africa. Central Districts, after being put in to bat, set the tour- ists a very respectable target of 253 to win on a benign McLean Park wicket. But with Tendulkar in command, the result was seldom in doubt even though India`s allotted overs were reduced to 49 because of a slow over rate. India reached 255 for just one wicket in the 41st over with Tendulkar hitting 19 fours and a six in his 128-ball, 161-minute innings. On the ground where he only just failed five seasons ago to be- come the youngest century-maker in test history, Tendulkar recorded his fourth and highest one-day century for India. All four have been scored since last September. Tendulkar was ably supported by fellow opener Ajay Jadeja and number three Navjot Sidhu, who was not out 72. He and Jadeja, with 34, put on 99 for the first wicket, a partnership broken only with a piece of good luck on Central Dis- tricts` part. A firm Tendulkar drive was deflected by bowler David Lamason on to the wicket, running out Jadeja, who had been backing up. Earlier, Tendulkar was also successful with the ball as Cen- tral Districts reached 252 for six in their 50 overs. Tendulkar, who was standing in as captain to allow Mohammad Azharuddin more time to recover from a sore back, bowled only one over, the 50th -- and took two wickets. He bowled Andrew Jones with one of his right-arm slow-medium deliveries, and then repeated the trick against Tony Blain. Jones` knock of 64 was the best of the Central Districts in- nings, and followed his omission on Monday from the New Zealand squad for the centenary series. Source :: Reuters Contributed by azzie (alak@gsbux1.uchicago.edu)