Ashes 2021: Ominous Brisbane weather forecast, green pitch to play into England’s hands
Queensland’s deluge has played into England’s hands as the likelihood of a green-top pitch increases — and curators have come up with a novel approach to protect their prized asset.
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Groundsmen are prepared to work around the clock and have contemplated hiring a tent for the iconic Gabba deck in a bid to save the rain-threatened first Ashes Test.
Head curator Dave Sandurski has been set one of the greatest challenges of his career to prepare next week’s first Test deck in the wake of freakishly large rain falls which have produced Brisbane’s wettest spring in 11 years.
Rain is forecast for 12 of the next 14 days including all five days of the Test which starts on Wednesday.
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The experienced Sandurski has his fingers crossed for four clear days leading up to the Test which he claims would be the minimum required to get the deck to a satisfactory state.
Just like batsmen being tested by a seaming Gabba deck he also is facing a test of nerve.
“It is a bit of a tricky one,’’ Sandurski admitted.
“If you start too early you can overcook it and if you start it too late you might have nothing up at all.
“You need a minimum of four days with two thirds of a day rolling to get a reasonable wicket up.
“I spoke to the senior forecaster the other day and he said we will have a bit better weather for the next three or four days so we will work around the clock for that time and start a day earlier that we normally would just to make up for any lost time.’’
The groundstaff have investigated the possibility of hiring a marquee to place over the deck which would keep the rain off while allowing the grass to “breathe.’’
“It is something that has not been done here before. Fingers crossed we don’t have to go that way.
“That would be our last resort – but if that is what we have to do then that’s what we have to do. You can’t stop mother nature all the time. It does not matter how much rolling you do, you still need the wind and the sun to dry it out.’’
Unless the weather turns the likelihood is the wicket could be a seaming deck which Gabba old timers would enjoy immensely even if it creates furrowed brows among both top orders.
“Come Sunday or Monday we will have a better idea how we are tracking. The conditions are very similar to the first Sheffield Shield game (Queensland versus West Australia) so it could prove to be similar to that.’’
Queensland were bowled out for 129 in the first innings of that match with Usman Khawaja’s 70 a powerful credential for Test selection as he vyes with Travis Head for a recall.
GABBA GREEN MONSTER LOOMS AFTER HORROR WEATHER
By Robert Craddock
There’s a mischievous rumour doing the rounds in Brisbane that Australia has decided to put the new statue of Allan Border at the batting crease in the first Ashes Test at the Gabba.
A bronze-coated, totally immovable AB could be just what Australia needs against the probing swing and seam of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad on a juicy Gabba green top on what shapes as a very Manchester type morning.
Rain on Tuesday washed out yet another day of centre wicket practice for England with the first day of their game against the English Lions abandoned more than an hour before it was due to start.
Australia’s intra-squad trial match starting Wednesday could also be washed out.
Both teams will enter the Test underprepared and vulnerable. Forget your Flash Harries. This will be a Test for stout-hearted. The team that scraps best will win.
Simplicity will be the order of the day for fast bowling plans. Pitch the thing up and let the wicket do the work for you.
No-one scored dirty day runs with more fight and fibre than Border and it is clear this sort of tenacity will be required by both batting line-ups in the first Test which starts next Wednesday.
The new statue of Border will be unveiled outside the Gabba the afternoon before the Test then the following morning Australia will go searching for a batsman just like him.
Guessing how a wicket will play is a mug’s game but unless the weather forecasters have got it wrong this one surely has to be a seamer’s delight.
If you put a tree frog on the wicket block all you would see is its eyes it’s so green and while the grass will be cut there will be limited drying and rolling time.
It’s been raining cats and dogs for a week in Brisbane.
There are two sunny days forecast before the start of the Test and it’s forecast to rain all five days.
English swing bowling great Anderson reckons he will play three of the five Tests and surely the Gabba must be one of them for the leaden skies and a soft deck are normally portents for him to run rampant.
The rain could slightly aid Usman Khawaja in his bid for the number five batting spot in place of Travis Head in that Khawaja has recently become adept at playing tight, long innings on seaming decks.
The fact that Australia will have a youngster at No 6 (Cameron Green) and a new keeper (perhaps Alex Carey) at No 7 may prompt them to go for the more experienced player at No 5 though Head remains a strong chance of playing.
Jhye Richardson’s chance of playing at the Gabba will not be diminished by the weather.
A few weeks ago, under leaden skies, he was a rampant force at the Gabba. bowling inswing and outswing at will. With exceptional wrist work, he also bowls a mean off cutter.
It could be a very lively Test match.
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Originally published as Ashes 2021: Ominous Brisbane weather forecast, green pitch to play into England’s hands
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