An unbeaten 75 from India's batting prince Sachin Tendulkar effectively proved the difference between the tourists and Sussex in Saturday's day-night friendly at Hove.

Bowlers were on top throughout before India got home by three wickets with nine balls to spare, but it was hardly a surprise that the world's best batsman made light of a slow pitch to provide some superb entertainment on a chilly evening for a disappointing crowd of around 2,500.

It wasn't a flawless performance by Tendulkar. He only just cleared the diving Michael Yardy at long on when he cleared the ropes for a second time while a thick edge off Billy Taylor as India closed in on their target would have gone straight into the hands of first slip had Sussex employed one at that stage of the innings.

Instead, the crowd, which included a vociferous contingent of well-behaved Indian fans, will prefer instead to remember the effortless way Tendulkar, batting a yard out of his crease, played the ball late to find the gaps with an angled bat or freed his arms to punch four boundaries through the off side with impeccable timing and a perfectly straight bat.

After reaching his 50, Tendulkar settled for crease occupation and the opportunity to get used to English conditions again ahead of the NatWest one-day series and the four Test matches.

It was a good job that he did because wickets fell regularly at the other end to keep Sussex in with a chance of defending a modest total of 203-8 from their 50 overs.

With James Kirtley linking-up with the England squad in Cardiff and Robin Martin-Jenkins rested, Sussex trusted Jason Lewry and Taylor with the new ball. Lewry's four overs cost 32 runs, but Taylor and the rest of the Sussex seamers did an effective job, notably Kevin Innes.

In the month since he joined the county after being released by Northamptonshire, Innes seems to have added an extra yard of pace to his bowling. His line and length were consistent and he was rewarded with the prized scalps of Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman in 3-35 from ten overs.

Will House claimed the important wicket of Dinesh Mongia, courtesy of a superb diving catch at extra cover by Jamie Carpenter, after the Indian opener had scored 56 off 92 balls with eight boundaries. Yardy had Mohammad Kaif caught behind but probably the most popular wicket of the evening came when Yuvraj Singh was caught off his own bowling by Mark Davis.

Davis had a fan club all of his own among the fans sitting behind him at the sea end and the off-spinner clearly relished the attention and the occasion. Only one player receiving more adulation every time he was involved in the action and it was a good job for India that Tendulkar, whose other six was clipped into the pavilion off House, was able to hold his side's innings together.

Pick of the Indian bowlers was left-armer Ashish Nehra who took 4-27 and did enough to suggest he could be a real handful in English conditions. He removed Bas Zuiderent, House and Tim Ambrose in successive overs in his second spell and it needed a patient 43 off 84 balls from Carpenter to ensure Sussex had a total to defend.

Richard Montgomerie and Murray Goodwin put on 51 for the second wicket after the early departure of Yardy. Acting-captain Montgomerie's 44 contained six boundaries while Goodwin looked to be returning to something approaching his best form, hitting 49 off 69 balls before he was bowled by Sehwag after coming down the pitch to try and hit him over the top.

SCORES: Sussex 203-8 (Goodwin 49, Montgomerie 44, Carpenter 43*, Nehra 4-27), India 205-7 off 48.3 overs (Tendulkar 75*, Mongia 56, Innes 3-35, House 2-40). India won by 3 wickets.