England returns to ‘Gabbatoir’ to face its demons

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – England’s Ashes debutants face a baptism of fire in Thursday’s opening Test at the Gabba, where four years ago the tourists’ batsmen crumbled under an Australian short-pitched bowling assault.

Joe Root’s team spent its final tour match in Townsville last week trying to acclimatize to the muggy conditions that will greet it in Brisbane, but few of the players will have any inkling of the challenge that awaits them.

The “Gabbatoir” has proved impregnable to visiting teams for nearly 30 years, with its willing pitch, stifling weather and hostile crowds adding up to one of the world’s tougher introductions to a Test series.

Only Root, former skipper Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad and James Anderson remain from the England team that suffered a 381-run hiding at the Gabba in 2013/14, when a marauding Mitchell Johnson took nine wickets and set the tone for the series.

The rest of the side, and particularly its inexperienced batsmen, faces a big step up after preparing against weak tour sides on tepid pitches far from Brisbane.

“It’s a tough wicket to come and start a series on, especially when you’re not playing on wickets or having practice wickets like that,” said former Australia quick Ryan Harris, one of the victors at the ground four years ago.

Once out on the field, the bear-pit atmosphere of a packed crowd can quickly become foreboding.

The wrap-around terraces at the bowl-like stadium create an impression of being hemmed in and stifle any breeze that might relieve the players as they labor in the soupy heat of a Brisbane summer. Bad things seem to happen to England in Brisbane. Four years ago, an ailing Jonathan Trott was dismissed cheaply in both innings amid a barrage of bouncers from Johnson and the Australian quicks. He promptly left the tour with a stress-related illness.

In 2006/07, England fast bowler Steve Harmison famously sent the first delivery of the series to his captain Andrew Flintoff at second slip. England lost the match and the series 5-0.

England has not won at the Gabba since Mike Gatting’s team in the 1986/87 series and it may be no coincidence that the last time it held its own at the Gabba in 2010/11, it went on to win the Ashes.