Australia secured a 2-0 series lead over India by completing an emphatic innings-and-68-run victory midway through the final session on day four of the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Australia yesterday brought Ryan Harris into their squad for the second Test against India, adding a fourth pace option a day after bowling their way to victory in the opening match.

Australia 333 & 240 India 282 & 169 (Australia win by 122 runs): Not quite to their previous heady heights but bowling was good start for new regime

It's been a year like no other for Test-match debutants. Yesterday in Durban, Marchant de Lange became the eighth bowler to return five wickets in his first taste of the game's highest form to join an eclectic collection – three Australians, two South Africans, an Indian, a New Zealander and a Bangladeshi called Sunny – in making 2011 the year of the rookie.

Australia 333 India 214-3

James Pattinson had a triple-wicket maiden to make it a debut to remember as Australia crushed New Zealand in the first Test at the Gabba. The 21-year-old younger brother of one-cap England paceman Darren Pattinson earned man-of-the-match honours for his match-winning spell with the ball.

Australia were bowled out for their lowest total against South Africa as 23 wickets fell on an enthralling second day in the first Test at Cape Town.

With scarcely a pause for breath in which to reflect on England's winter, domestic cricket resumes on Friday with the County Championship. It has a tough act to follow to match the drama of 2010; three title contenders did not yield a winner until 4.52pm on the final day as Nottinghamshire claimed the last point they needed to pip Somerset.

Nathan Hauritz, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait have been called up to the Australia squad for the first Commonwealth Bank Series one-day international against England in Melbourne in Sunday.

Trying to break in to a successful team is one of the most difficult tasks in sport but it must also be one of the most enjoyable.

England are not only winning games Down Under, they are also influencing some unlikely people. Yesterday Steve Waugh, for so long England's cricketing nemesis, was moved to applaud Andrew Strauss's side, praising the balance and team spirit that has ushered them to the brink of a famous series win in the hosts' back yard.

England rode their luck through a rocky afternoon spell to reach 167-3 in their first innings at the close of play on the second day of the fifth Ashes test after dismissing Australia for 280 today.