Venues / Ed Hawkins / 21 November 2010 /

England have bad memories of this ground in recent years but the wicket here is the one which should best suit their bowlers; winning the toss and batting is crucial.

Brisbane has always been a barometer for England's mindset. When Nasser Hussain infamously and inexplicably opted to bowl first in 2002, it betrayed a lack of faith in his batsmen. Steve Harmison's first-ball wide to slip four years later exposed insecurity.
So with that formguide we could find out very early indeed in the series which way the urn will turn. England will be praying they get the opportunity to bat first, otherwise it could be déjà vu.

Australia piled on 602 in 2006 and 492 in 2002 to win by 277 runs and 384 respectively. Incredibly, England have lost 10 of the last 11 tosses.

Otherwise Brisbane is a city which one could be forgiven for finding it difficult to get one's head around. Nicknamed Bris Vegas, it has only a solitary casino and four years ago for what was supposed to be one of the most eagerly awaited Test matches in years, the locals were lukewarm. Ticket touts were gobsmacked they could not shift their wares.

The ground

Woollongabba, the district south of the city centre from which the ground takes its name, is rather down at the heel. Indeed from the west stand a small parade of shops include a sex store offering 'lotions and potions'.

Inside, the locals can be a little naughty. Four years ago authorities banned Mexican waves, inflatable dolls and offensive banners. So much for the "no worries" culture.
The Gabba is a huge concrete bowl with green, yellow and purple - the colours of Queensland - seats which means it is low on charm but a fantastic viewing ground.

The wicket

With a first-innings average of 402 in the last 10 Tests, the Gabba's reputation as a good batting wicket is justified. However, there is evidence to suggest that for the first Test it is the bowlers who could have the upper hand.

There has been a lot of heavy rain in Queensland in the weeks building up to the contest and the result has been some extraordinary bowling performances.
In October, seamer Mark Cameron took 11 wickets as New South Wales beat Queensland by an innings and 91 runs. They made only 262 batting first, though with Queensland shot out for 75 and 96

The ball has nipped about through the air and off the seam, which should be music to the ears of the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. This wicket is expected to suit England's bowlers more than any other.

There have been 21 centuries scored in the last 10 Tests, 17 of them by Australians. With the ball, nine times a bowler has taken five wickets or more in an innings.

Highest total 645 Australia v England 1946

Highest 4th innings chase 236-7 Australia v West Indies 1951
Most runs 1,196 R Ponting
Most wickets 68 S Warne
Most runs last five years 388 Ponting
Most wickets last five years 17 M Johnson, S Clark
Australian batting averages at ground
Katich 62.2
Watson 5.50
Ponting 66.4
Clarke 84.8
Hussey 50
North 79
Haddin 21

Last meeting

Ponting made a brilliant 196 and Mike Hussey 86 as the hosts amassed 602. In reply, England collapsed to a pathetic 157 all out with some batsmen, notably Andrew Strauss, appearing to struggle with the pace of the wicket. Glenn McGrath took six wickets. Australia, surprisingly, did not enforce the follow-on. They declared on 201-1 with Justin Langer scoring a century. Set an impossible 648 to win, Strauss and Cook again went cheaply. Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood got to the 90s but England collapsed from 244-3 to 370 all out - the highest fourth innings total at the ground.

Follow Ed Hawkins on Twitter "here":https://twitter.com/cricketbetting

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

:

:

:

?

: