Tendulkar hit by flu virus

Sachin Tendulkar may miss his final scheduled appearance for the Lashings World XI after picking up a flu virus. While his fitness against the Leigh Technology Academy at Dartford in Kent on Friday is in some doubt he remains optimistic of appearing.

"It's just a virus, but we'll just have to see how quickly I recover to see if I have a chance of playing on Friday," said Tendulkar. "Dropping out of my final game certainly isn't what I want to do as I want to get as much match practice as I can before going back to international cricket."

India's next commitment is a three-Test series in Sri Lanka, with the first Test beginning in three weeks, on July 23 in Colombo. Tendulkar has not played international cricket since the first Test against South Africa in April after picking up a groin injury which forced him out of the rest of the series. He also missed the subsequent tri-series in Bangladesh and the Asia Cup.

But he has played two Lashings games this summer, both of those coming in the last fortnight. He scored 32 at Eastbourne College before being caught at deep cover and following that up with 98, before falling to a return catch, at St Bede's School in Sussex.