Gabba to see at least three more years of Test cricket

All fears of cricket lovers in Brisbane were allayed when Cricket Australia announced that the Woolloongabba Ground will host Test matches for at least three more years. The news comes as a relief for the fans as there were rumors that the iconic cricket stadium, that has seen some amazing cricket action over the years, won’t see any further Test action in the wake of dwindling crowds in the last few fixtures here in Brisbane.

A joint deal was struck between Cricket Australia (CA), the Queensland Government and the Brisbane City Council following which Cricket Australia confirmed on Tuesday that Gabba will continue to hold Test matches in the near future

The first fixture after this breather on this ground will see a Pink ball day-night Test match played against Pakistan. The first day-night fixture on this ground is expected to bring in the crowds that have declined over the years. The ground has recently undergone a $1 million upgrade of its lighting facilities to make it well suited to the needs of day-night test matches. The following year will see Australia contest England in an Ashes tie on the ground that historically hosts the first match of the summer series.

“The first Gabba day-night Test will be a wonderful occasion. It’s a great opportunity for the Queensland fans to come in school holidays and it is an ideal way to celebrate the partnership with very accessible ticket pricing. We are all excited to see what it will be like to play in front of what is expected to be a massive Gabba crowd.” said CA head of performance, Pat Howard.

What also seemed to have influenced the decision is the home team’s stellar record on the ground. The team hasn’t lost a single match at Gabba since 1988 when they were humbled by the mighty West Indies playing under the leadership of Sir Vivian Richards. After that the Australian team haven’t lost a single Test out of the 27 matches that they have played here and registered victories over the opponents in 20 of those.

“Australia’s record at the Gabba has been exceptional and the fact we remain undefeated at the Gabba since 1988 underlines that record. As a consequence the Australian players always look forward to a Gabba Test, asserted Howard.”

The Brisbane ground was also the stage for the dramatic tie between Australia and West Indies in 1960-61, one of the most classic contests in the history of Test cricket. The ground has seen brilliant individual performances over the years including Sir Richard Hadlee’s famous 9 for 52 that gave New Zealand a historic innings victory over Australia.