Tendulkar leads player of the Cup race

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar is well on course towards becoming the player of the 2003 cricket World Cup. Having already being named man of the match thrice during the tournament, he needs to be picked just once more to claim for the coveted honour.

Releasing details of those vying for the 'Man of the tournament' award, the ICC, in a statement, said with only three matches left in the tournament, Tendulkar, the leading run scorer thus far, is four points clear of Sri Lankan opening batsman Marvan Atapattu and fast bowler Chaminda Vaas.

Tendulkar has accumulated 12 points after picking three man of the match awards, nine points for top-scoring with 81 against Zimbabwe, 152 against Namibia and 98 against Pakistan. He garnered a further two points for top-scoring with 97 against Sri Lanka and one for his half century against Holland.

He has already overtaken former Pakistan batsman Javed Miandad as the holder of the highest World Cup run aggregate and is one of two players -- the other is Mark Waugh -- to have scored four centuries.

Besides Atapattu and Vaas, the only other players who can catch up with Tendulkar are India captain Sourav Ganguly and Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya, who have seven and six points respectively.

But Tendulkar could leave them all behind and gain an unassailable lead in the standings if he wins another man of the match award in the semi-final against Kenya on Thursday.

The leading Kenyan in the rankings is all-rounder Thomas Odoyo, with five points. He shares ninth place in the standings with top Australians Andy Bichel, Brett Lee and Ricky Ponting.

Lee, who has been placed second twice and third once, is the highest player in the standings not to have been named man of the match in the tournament to date.

The Man of the Tournament award will be presented by the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers after the final at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on March 23.

Man of the Tournament standings:

Sachin Tendulkar (Ind) 12; Marvan Atapattu (SL) 8; Chaminda Vaas (SL) 8; Sourav Ganguly (Ind) 7; Wasim Akram (Pak) 6; James Anderson (Eng) 6; John Davison (Can) 6; Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) 6; Andy Bichel (Aus) 5; Andy Blignaut (Zim) 5; Vasbert Drakes (WI) 5; Herschelle Gibbs (SA) 5; Lance Klusener (SA) 5; Brett Lee (Aus) 5; Thomas Odoyo (Ken) 5; Ricky Ponting (Aus) 5; Heath Streak (Zim) 5.