Difficult Gabba Test awaits England

For English and Australians alike, it doesn’t get much bigger than this. The barbecues are fired, the beers are chilled, and there’s a brand new six-ounce cherry that is waiting to define who will own the bragging rights for the next two-and-a-half years.

From Graham Gooch to Nasser Hussain, all have failed much to the delight of our Aussie cousins. The excitement is gripping cricket fans’ in both nations, as we are now a tantalising 24 hours to what is of the most anticipated Ashes series in recent history.

Comprehensive defeats of 384 runs and 277 runs in the 2002-03 and 2006-07 tours do not sit well in English memories of the Gabba in Brisbane, but Andrew Strauss’s team know what is expected of them. A repeat performance yielding a similar result would ultimately give Australia the boost they need to reclaim the Ashes, and England a demoralising defeat which they may not recover from).

Steve Harmison is the latest Englishman to have struggled on a flat track at the home of the Queensland Bulls. When he opened the bowling from the Stanley Street end, hopes were soaring after reclaiming the Ashes 18 months earlier.

But the Gabba in Brisbane has not proven good hunting ground in recent tours of Australia for the English. A wild first ball that ended up in the hands of Andrew Flintoff at second slip began a chain reaction that never saw a recovery breach the horizon.

England have not found the Gabba to be good hunting ground for several tours now, with their latest victory coming in 1986 with Ian Botham’s last hurrah; a splendid knock of 138 proving to be his last triple figure score for England.

That tour was the last time an Englishman came home with the urn, a fact that has haunted every captain that has led his team Down Under for the inevitable slaughter for the past 24 years. In fact, only four English captains, in the shape of Sir Len Hutton, Ray Illingworth, Mike Brearley and Mike Gatting, have emerged victorious in an Ashes series since the end of World War Two.

Traditionally, the 'Gabba wicket has been a batting paradise with a track that is known for staying flat and true throughout a Test match. The fast bowlers may get slight assistance early on, but that is the most they can expect to receive.

The last two trips out onto the field first have seen England battered by a relentless Australian bowling formation containing arguably two of the best bowlers in Test history – canny fast bowler Glenn McGrath and legendary spinner Shane Warne.

Yet it is the persistent Mitchell Johnson and the uncapped Xavier Doherty who step into their ever so large shoes. Now these shoes cannot, and probably won’t be filled for several years, but Strauss and co cannot believe that this will automatically win them the Ashes that they crave.

Johnson is an accomplished Test bowler with best figures of 8-61 in a single innings; one that none of England’s touring party can better. But a batsman’s track it remains, and despite the possibility of rain, one route must be taken.

If the option to bat first presents itself, England must take it. Scores of 492 and 602-9 declared have proved pivotal for Australia on their past two opening innings against their bitter rivals, and the tourists have wilted under the pressure.

On a flat track with a sell-out crowd against them, confidence will be the biggest factor in a series that will define many players’ careers.

Here is a list of recent results for England at the Gabba, since England last won the series in 1986-87:

2006-07: First Test: lost by 277 runs, went on to lose the series 5-0.

2003-04: First Test: lost by 384 runs, went on to lose the series 4-1.

1998-99: First Test: draw, went on to lose the series 3-1

1994-95: First Test: lost by 184 runs, went on to lose series 3-1.

1990-91: First Test: lost by 10 wickets, went on to lose the series 3-0.