Australian batsman Mike Hussey believes this year's SCG Test pitch could see a return to the drier, more spin-friendly wickets of the past.
Captain Michael Clarke was pondering omitting spinner Nathan Lyon in favour of a four-man pace battery featuring the returning Ryan Harris on what was anticipated to be a seaming deck.
But after having a first look at the pitch ahead of Tuesday's start, Hussey seemed to suggest sticking with Lyon might be the best option.
"Just from walking across the ground it looks a lot less green than it has been the last few years," Hussey said ahead of the 100th Test to be played at the ground.
"Certainly in the last few years I think the Sydney pitch has changed texture from when it used to be a real dustbowl and helped the spinners.
"The last few years have been really seamer friendly and there's been overhead conditions to help that as well ... [it's been] particularly tough for batting, especially early in the match.
"(Now) it looks definitely a lighter colour and generally that's the way it's gone over here, it has slowed down a little bit and helped the spinners as the game's gone on."
Curator Tom Parker said he is focused on preparing a pitch that is fair, rather than one that assists Australia's rampant pace attack.
"I think it will be somewhat similar to the Ashes pitch we had last season," he said.
Slow bowlers captured just three out of 30 wickets in last summer's Ashes Test at the SCG and have taken only 12 of 57 Shield wickets there this season.
Parker acknowledged the SCG wickets have been just as likely to help the quicks as the spinners.
"It depends on the conditions of the day," he said.
"If you get overcast conditions, the ball does swing around, move around through in the air a bit.
"But as the game goes on, the pitch here at the SCG, it always turns at some stage.
"I think the first couple of days of the Test it's clear and then from day three there's supposed to be some showers coming, but at this stage we're looking at a nice clear run."
Coach Mickey Arthur suggested yesterday it would be unlikely that Australia would go in with four pacemen.
"I'm pretty loath to go into any Test match without a spinner," Arthur said.
"Obviously conditions will determine that but the SCG has normally got a history of favouring spin down the line."
He said he had seen enough of India's batting order in Melbourne to formulate new plans of attack for Sydney.
"I do think we've got a lot of information out of the Melbourne Test match that we can use in the series in terms of batting strengths, where we need to be," Arthur said.
"So we'll alter our game plans slightly to four of their top six.
"Pressure is the name of the game in Test cricket.
"If we can dry the Indian batters up for long periods of time like we did at times in Melbourne, we showed that they all had chinks in their armour."
The SCG has invariably produced a result wicket in recent Tests, with only one of the last 18 there finishing in a draw.
The last eight all produced a winner, with the last draw coming in 2004 against India, which amassed 7 for 705 declared in its first innings thanks to Sachin Tendulkar's unbeaten 241 and VVS Laxman's 178.
Both teams trained at the SCG this morning and will be guests of Prime Minister Julia Gillard this afternoon for an afternoon tea function at Kirribilli House.
AAP/ABC
Tags: sport, cricket, sydney-2000, nsw, australia First posted January 01, 2012 12:05:07
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