Cricket news: Fears Gabba could be vulnerable to drop-in wicket after two-day Test match

The scenario Queensland cricket fans have been dreading for decades could become a reality after the Gabba’s two-day Test debacle.

The chaotic two day Test at the Gabba has left the venue vulnerable to an outcome local fans have feared for decades — a drop-in pitch.

The Gabba and the SCG are the only regular Australian Test venues which have been able to resist having drop-in decks and nothing will happen in Brisbane until the ground is redeveloped for the Olympics.

But the push for a drop-in deck is rising by the year and becoming harder to resist.

Much as the hysteria over the state of the Gabba pitch which hosted the Australia-South Africa Test was over blown, the ground can do without any more major pitch dramas because its total redevelopment will leave all options on the table for its future.

The date is yet to be finalised for the redevelopment of the Gabba but it will be no sooner than after the next home Ashes series in 2025-26.

The entire wicket block will be wiped out as part of that redevelop and the current plan is for the pitch to be regrown and retain its natural elements in readiness for the 2029 Ashes before it is handed over as an Olympic venue.

Kagiso Rabada celebrates David Warner’s wicket on day two with the green pitch in the background.

The state government currently supports that plan but the push to join the drop-in brigade is ever-present and growing by the season

There are several elements weakening in the “keep our turf’’ campaign.

The first was the end of Australia’s 33 year unbeaten run at the Gabba when India won there in 2021.

One loss in 33 years hardly triggers a major change of theme but it did spell the end of one of the game’s most stunning records and that sentence “never while the Gabba remains a fortress will we never see a drop-in pitch.’’

Influential AFL powerbrokers have been campaigning for a drop-in at the Gabba for years and the Gabba redevelopment gives them the chance to enhance their push.

The fact that the wicket will be dug up before the Olympics and used before and after the games gives them an opening to intensify their campaign.

The Gabba deck has often been described as Queensland’s favourite piece of sporting real estate.

But the fight to retain its natural elements is becoming more difficult by the year.

Even first-innings hero Travis Head was out cheaply on day two.

AUSSIE ASSISTANT VETTORI TALKS BAZBALL, GABBA PITCH

Australian bowling coach Dan Vettori reckons if you thought the Gabba was the ultimate green monster you didn‘t spend Christmas in New Zealand 20 years ago.

Former champion New Zealand spinner Vettori conceded bowlers had conditions well in their favour in the two-day Test between Australia and South Africa at the Gabba, but added “I think I’ve seen worse.’’

“I played in two Test matches where I did not bowl a ball,’’ he said. “They just pop up from time to time. It is a challenge for a batting group every time.’’

Scott Styris drives during New Zealand’s Test against India in 2002.

Those matches were consecutive Tests against India in 2002, in Wellington where the Kiwis (247 and 0-36) beat India (161 and 121) and then triumphed again in Hamilton where New Zealand (94 and 6-160) and beat India (99 and 154) by four wickets with Vettori a spectator in both games on grassy green decks.

Like most bowlers who toiled for too many endless hours on unresponsive decks Vettori failed see a huge sense of injustice at the two days of batting carnage at the Gabba.

“I just it was just really tough conditions and once in a while as a bowling group you don’t mind that.

“Just because of the nature of how good those bowling attacks were they probably embellished it a bit. So you wouldn’t want to play on it every day but I think for occasional Test matches its not the worst thing.’’

Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum are changing the way Test cricket is played.

“It was definitely amplified because of the standard of the bowling. People talk about these two attacks being potentially the best in the world. “And thewicket did a lot. But I think we saw through Travis Head’s innings, Steve Smith and (Kyle) Verreynne if you got in you could score on it.’’

Opener Ben Duckett has attacked successfully in Pakistan.

Rehan Ahmed starred on debut as part of England’s revolution.

Vettori is likely to be with the squad for next year’s Ashes when they take on his former Kiwi sipper Brendon McCullum as the coach who has revolutionised English cricket with their rampaging “Bazball’’ style of play.

He has not been surprised by the cavalier approach but nor does he feel Australia necessarily have to change the tempo of their own game.

“That’s just Brendan’s nature. There’s positivity in everything he does. To turn a team around purely by doing that is what he did with New Zealand when he was captain. For it to happen so quickly with England is incredible,” he said.

“The key is to still have the ability to play your own style of cricket. Teams have been swept up. They put so much pressure on you through that scoring rate. The hardest thing to do is be able to sit back and say these guys are doing well. We have to give them respect. We can’t just go harder and harder.’’