Tendulkar is bowled for 152 (Getty Images).

By Brenden Nel, PA International, Pietermaritzburg

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India crushed World Cup minnows Namibia by 181 runs at the Pietermaritzburg Oval on Sunday to collect four valuable points and give themselves a massive boost ahead of their clashes against England and Pakistan.

After Sachin Tendulkar (152) and captain Sourav Ganguly (112no) scored magnificent centuries to post an imposing total of 311 for two, the Indian bowlers got in on the act and skittled the Namibians out for 130 to secure victory.

Tendulkar recorded his highest World Cup score ever as he displayed all the class that has made him the best batsman in the world. He and Ganguly put on a partnership of 244 for the second wicket.

Tendulkar's century was his fourth in World Cup tournaments, and 34th in total as he stretched his lead at the top of the all time one-day century rankings.

He brought up the three-figure mark off 115 balls in 154 minutes with 11 fours, and was eventually bowled as he tried to sweep Rudolph Janse van Vuuren to end a wonderful innings.

Ganguly hit a swashbuckling 112 off 119 balls - an innings which included four sixes and six fours and gave him his 20th one-day century of his career.

Tendulkar's century was rough justice for the African side, who dropped him early on in the game. Van Vuuren got a perfect outswinger to get a thick edge but Jan-Berrie Burger could not hold onto the chance.

Van Vuuren took the first wicket when he removed Tendulkar's attacking partner Virender Sehwag. The opener had started cautiously, but then looked to be opening his shoulders by smashing two beautiful fours off van Vuuren before lifting one to Danie Keulder at midwicket for 24.^

As Namibia began their reply, the Indian bowling attack was disrupted when they lost opening bowler Ashish Nehra as he ran in to bowl his second ball. He twisted his ankle and left the field without bowling another ball.

However, the rest of the Indian attack chipped in with some accurate and miserly bowling on a track which undoubtedly suited their style of play to ensure the victory.

The African side started off cautiously and then lost five quick wickets as they tried to up the rate and put up a challenge to the Indian total.

Opener Jan-Berrie Burger and Stephan Swanepoel put on 19 for the first wicket before Zaheer Khan trapped Swanepoel plumb lbw for nine off 21 balls.

Louis Burger joined his namesake but did not last long either as Khan found an unbelievable amount of movement through the air. Louis Burger survived two good shouts for leg before, before finally being trapped for a duck off the 12 balls he faced.

Danie Keulder looked to be giving Jan-Berrie Burger all the help he needed by pushing around for singles before he got frustrated and tried to loft Harbhajan Singh over midwicket, only to present Dinesh Mongia with a fine catch.

Mongia caught the ball running and slid on his backside to within inches of the ropes, but managed to avoid losing the wicket for a six.

Jan-Berrie Burger was providing the only good looking strokes for his side, smashing four fours and a massive six over square leg before Mongia got one to straighten and bamboozled the batsman to depart for 29 off 30 balls.

Harbhajan returned the next over to remove Gavin Murgatroyd lbw for a duck when he failed to offer a shot. Deon Kotze and Melt van Schoor put on a belligerent 51 off 99 balls to halt the march to victory before they both departed in quick succession to bring the Indians closer to the win.

Kotze offered a simple caught and bowled chance to Mongia to leave for 24 before Van Schoor edged a ball to Rahul Dravid for the same score to leave his side 99 for seven.

Burton van Rooi made 17 and Bjorn Kotze three before Gerrie Snyman was the last man out on five when Harbhajan's bobbled catch at mid on fell into the hands of Javagal Srinath to complete the victory.