Die Allianz T-D-P » Auburn earned its 14th NCAA Tournament

The Kanpur track is dry, has cracks, and it will assist the home side, as it should. But, if you listen to head groundsman Shiv Kumar, only as much as it should. There are early indications that the ball wont turn as early or as alarmingly as it did in Nagpur and Mohali last season, when India won both Tests inside three days.There might be some concern at the sight of the cracks three days from the start of a Test, but Shiv said the soil has deceptively good binding qualities, and that erring on the side of caution could result in a repeat of the 2004-05 Test when Andrew Hall scored 163 in a boring draw. That was the debut Test for Shiv, an electrician by formal training who decided to try his hand as a groundsman because of unemployment. He says he has learnt a lot from that 2004-05 draw.The other extreme in Kanpur, though, appeared in 2008 when India, trailing 0-1 in the series, beat South Africa in three days on a vicious turner, which was later rated poor by the ICC. Shiv said that happened because of the April heat, and a repeat was not likely to happen this year. If the Test on crack was played in the heat of April, the one on valium was played in November when the weather cools down considerably. This one, in September, might be bang in the middle in terms of heat; September used to be pleasant before global warming turned the north Indian summer into a seemingly never-ending phenomenon.Shiv has three reasons to be confident this pitch wont start turning alarmingly on day one. Firstly, the cracks might be visible, but they are not loose; in fact the surface is quite hard. A knuckle knock on the pitch creates a solid sound. Secondly, Shiva said the binding qualities of the Kanpur soil make it a difficult surface to break. Thirdly, the pitch is still getting watered, unlike Nagpur last year where the cracks had become loose by the time the toss happened. The pitch was kept under covers to shield it from the scorching sun during the day, and it was watered at 5pm. More rolling and watering is expected on the two days before the match.There are patches of grass on the pitch, but they are too dry and too far apart to provide any real encouragement for traditional fast bowling. However, if it rains - it rained on Sunday and some mild showers are expected during the Test - the heavy atmosphere and the high water table at Green Park could make traditional swing and seam a factor. Otherwise Shiv expects only about an hours help for the quicks on the first morning.A typical Green Park track, Shiv said, on the basis of first-class matches in the Ranji Trophy, is good for batting for the first two days, and then it starts to take turn. That is more a classic Test track in India: good for batting in the first half of the match and moving along at a rapid pace in the second. The turn is expected to be on the slower side.The dry track is ripe for reverse swing, which could seal Neil Wagners selection alongside Trent Boult for New Zealand, and might tempt India to play two quicks, three spinners, and thus, just the five batsmen. Yoenis Cespedes Jersey . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. Tom Seaver Mets Jersey . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. http://www.metsbaseballauthentic.com/brandon-nimmo-mets-jersey/ . PAUL, Minn. Tom Seaver Jersey . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. Michael Conforto Mets Jersey . Catch all the action on TSN2 at 11pm et/8pm pt. The nine-time Big 12 champion Jayhawks are positioning themselves for another title, as they have run out to a flawless 6-0 mark in conference play thus far. Birmingham, Ala. - Six SEC teams highlight the field of 64 that will be competing for the 35th NCAA Division I Womens Soccer Championship.South Carolina and Florida each earned a No. 1 national seeds while Auburn was a No. 4 seed. Joining the Gamecocks, Gators and Tigers in the field are Arkansas, Missouri and Texas A&M.This marks the ninth time in the last 10 seasons that the SEC has had at least six teams advance to postseason play.Four of the six teams earned the right to host their opening round match on their home pitch. South Carolina will host Alabama State while FGCU will visit Florida, South Alabama travels to Auburn and Memphis goes to Arkansas. Missouri will travel down I-70 to play Kansas while Texas A&M visits TCU.Arkansas is competing in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last four years. Arkansas 17 wins overall are the most in the programs 30-year history.Auburn earned its 14th NCAA Tournament bid and its second consecutive national seed (No. 4). The Tigers posted a 9-2-0 record in SEC play this season, winning nine league games for just the second time ever (2004).Florida claimed the SECs automatic berth after winning the SEC Tournament for the second consecutive year. The Gators are a No. 1 national seed and are making their 200th overall NCAA Championships appearance and 14th consecutive.dddddddddddd Senior forward Savannah Jordan scored her 80th career goal in the SEC Tournament championship game, becoming just the seventh player in the nation to reach the 80 career goal mark since 2000.Missouri is appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last five seasons. Freshman forward Sarah Luebbert became only the second Tiger to ever earn conference freshman or newcomer of the year honors when she was named the SEC Freshman of the Year by the leagues head coaches.South Carolina is making its ninth trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last 10 years. The Gamecocks, who won the SEC regular season championship with an 11-0-0 record, earned the programs first No. 1 NCAA seed. USC are led by SEC Coach of the Year Shelley Smith, SEC Offensive Player of the Year Savannah McCaskill and SEC Defensive Player of the Year Kaleigh Kurtz.Texas A&M is one of five teams to make it to every NCAA Tournament since 1995, a streak of 22 consecutive years. The Aggies have posted a winning record (11-8-1) for the 24th consecutive season - every year of the program. ' ' '