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Preview : Second test, second chance - Sydney!


Dravid-Waiting-Form.jpg 3 lost, 1 won & 4 draws = India's record at Sydney cricket ground before the 2-6 Jan 2008 test match, which starts today.

Can India improve? will we see the glimpse of promise Team India made to beat Australia in Australia on this tour? well, Sydney brings'em a second chance & some happy memories (India scored 705/5d & 211/2d last time, to Australia's 474 & 357 with 4 wickets remaining.. match draw).

Sydney cricket ground (SCG) pitch is famous as spinners' pitch (when compared to other grounds downunder) but India's 2008 tour of Australia, so far, hasn't installed enough confidence into their batting stalwarts that we can be guaranteed of a repeat performance.. neither SCG will turn as much! Curator Tom Parker is keen on leaving fair amount of greenery on the 22 yard strip which will bind it together untill we reach 5th days play of this 2nd India vs Australia test match in 2008.

That said, Shane Warne once said - "when it swings, it spins". Given that both Indian spinners (Kumble & Harbhajan) are bowling well, expect some Aussie batting collapse. The onus, for sure, is on Indian batting to score enough runs & build cushion for their bowlers to buy wickets when they can't take'em!

Tall totals have been scored in last two domestic games played at SCG, which means it's more of a batting paradise then bowlers pitch. Sachin Tendulkar scored 241 last time he played at SCG, but it was his 148 here in 1992 which Richie Benaud (Australian cricket's living bible) called as the best by a batsman he has ever seen. in Bowling, Anil Kumble took 12 wickets for 200 runs the last time he played here, but couldn't win the match for country.

Doubts over Zaheer Khan's fitness and who will open for India will be reveled right before the toss, which Anil Kumble hasn't won too many since he is appointed captain for India.. probably he need to learn the toss trick from New Zealand's Daniel Vetorri who has won 8 tosses in a row now!

Reading Former Australian coach John Buchanan's column, where he writes how he saw the first test, and what he thinks about the reminder of the series, was intriguing. The Australian don't really think Indians can make a come back into the series.

Sydney-Pitch-Good.jpg Weather forecast for Sydney for next 5 days of this test match has fair amount of rain in store, from 2nd day onwards. probably that is why, Aussies have made a lively pitch so that great Australian test match winning streak can continue.

Itsonlycricket brings you the latest score of this 2nd test match at Sydney between India and Austalia but for live scores, try these. We've also released a list of tv channels showing this cricket series. As far as start time of each days's play is concerned, 5am according to India, 3.30 pm (on 1st Jan) according to California in USA and half an hour before mid-night in London England.. again on 1st Jan itself!




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