Sydney: India and Australia — the two battling sides in the second ICC World Cup semi-final — are so evenly poised that the focus is not on the players or team strengths but on external factors like pitch conditions at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). For both teams, the pitch is still a mystery and how it would behave during the match is anyone’s guess.

Australians are hoping for the pitch to have pace and bounce, while the Indians, with their superior spinners, would like the pitch to turn.

The absence of grass on the pitch has disturbed the Australians despite being the home team. What excites India is the reputation of the pitch helping spinners. However, even India cannot take solace out of it because in the World Cup matches played here before, although spinners did get wickets, the pitch wasn’t a turner.

So when Gulf News asked Australian skipper Michael Clarke on the role of the pitch in the semi final, he said: “I think the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in general is a really good wicket. It’s normally even for both batting and bowling. So I think the fast bowlers will hopefully get a little swing and a little bounce out of that wicket. Then, as always, I think spin will play a part in the SCG, but it’s generally as good a place to bat as anywhere in the world. So I’m confident this game will be no different.”

So vague was Clarke’s reply that when Indian opener Rohit Sharma was asked about the wicket, he expressed his team’s hope that it possibly assists spin. “If you look at the history of the pitch, it has given a lot of help for spin bowlers, and they actually come out and bowl really well. If you see the Test Matches that we played in Australia, spinners played a huge part. So I think if it does, we’ve got the spinners to do it, “ he said.

The most wanted two people at SCG were Andy Atkinson, ICC’s chief of grounds and pitches committee who is specially here to supervise the pitch, and head curator of the ground Tom Parker Jr. Team coaches and players were seen in conversation with them, hoping to pick their brain and gather some clues about the wicket. But it looks like both have refused to talk to the media, or anyone for that matter, on the nature of the wicket, just to ensure they remain neutral.

Though it is a home match for Australia, there is nothing at the Sydney ground that could be totally in their favour. Support from the crowd is likely to be heavily tilted towards India with 70 per cent of the tickets being purchased by the Indian fans.

Clarke believes the only way out is to take up the challenge and give the best. “It will be a challenge. India have a very good bowling line-up. It is a good mixture of spin and fast bowling. We’ve obviously had success with that attack through this tournament. So the batters are as well prepared as we can be for what we’re going to face, and now we have to go out and execute,” said Clarke.

With players unable to identify whether the pitch will bounce or spin, it was interesting to see the way both the teams were preparing. Indian batsmen were seen practising against throw balls, shaping to pull and cut. They were also seen using tennis balls to ensure they get in the right position for the hook and pull, or even duck. Since Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc will spearhead the Australian attack, Indians have taken all precautions.

On the other hand, Australia had spinner Shane Warne bowl to them at the nets. It attracted everybody’s attention and some Australian players were seen discussing with Warne on how to play spin.

In short, the semi final battle is in a mystery stage where skills of all players will be put to test.