As the Test at the Gabba, Brisbane, starts on Thursday, let’s do some sums. Of the 20 Ashes matches played at the Gabba, Australia has won 11, lost four, with five drawn.
The first ever Ashes Test between Australia and England was played on the Exhibition Ground, Brisbane, which England won by a huge margin of 675 runs. So in all Tests in Brisbane, Australia leads 11-5.
In the inaugural Brisbane Test – the debut for both the city and Don Bradman – in December 1928, England amassed 863 runs (521 and 8 declared for 342) during which Australian wicketkeeper Bert Oldfield did not concede a bye.
Coming in at number seven, Bradman scored only 18 and 1, and was dropped for the next Test, in Sydney. Coming back in the following Test, in Melbourne, he scored 79 and 112 at No.6. And the journey began for the greatest batsman of all time.
I can imagine the carping criticism the selectors would have received for the next few seasons!
However, the Don’s performances at the Gabba against England are not exactly Bradman-esque. He scored 76 and 24 in 1932-33, 38 and 0 in 1936-37, and 187 in 1946-47.
Thus 325 runs at 65.00 appears good for a mortal but disappointing for the Don. Also, he was given not out on 28 when caught by Jack Ikin off Bill Voce, before going on to score 187.
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England won the first two Gabba Tests, by six wickets in February 1933 and by 322 runs in December 1936.
Then Australia won the next four in a row, by an innings and 332 runs in November 1946, 70 runs in December 1950, an innings and 154 runs in November 1954, and eight wickets in December 1958.
Australia has not lost to England in the last seven Gabba Tests from 1987 onwards – winning five with two drawn.
Last time out, in November 2013, the English grabbed Australia’s first six wickets for 132 runs, fast bowler Stuart Broad claiming four including skipper Michael Clarke for 1. But Brad Haddin (94*) and Mitchell Johnson (64) added 144 for the seventh wicket for Australia to compile 295, Broad taking 6-81.
Johnson shone with the ball too, with a devastating spell of 4-61, and England was shot down for 136.
Leading the first innings by 159 runs, Aussie opener David Warner and Clarke then hit splendid centuries and the home team declared at 7-401, setting the visitors a colossal 561 runs to win.
Johnson bowled with fire and brimstone to take 5-42 and England caved in for 179 to lose by 381 runs. For his 64 and 39* and nine wickets, Johnson was adjudged man of the match. After the 5-0 series whitewash, he was made Man of the Series as well.
Mitchell Johnson has retired but another Mitchell, Starc, is ready to take over.
I can’t wait to see Steve Smith and Joe Root go out to toss on Thursday.
While a premature retirement isn’t the solution, he or England want, he may be forced into it if he can’t maintain a long run of matches.
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