For this summer of cricket my theme is of each Australian Test venue with a team of Australians and visitors based on performance(s), moment(s), and memories. Each side is from 1980 (when I approx. started following) though there maybe the odd exception. Feel free to contribute and obviously any from earlier would be great to hear about.
This week’s team is based on Brisbane.
Australia
Matthew Hayden [Source: Author]
Matthew Hayden
197 and 103 v England November 2002
Nasser Hussain won the toss and decided to bowl; at stumps on Day 1 Australia were 2/364 with Hayden on 186*. Hayden would make 197 from 268 balls with twenty-five fours and two sixes. With England avoiding the follow-on Hayden had another bat and made 103* from 152 balls to give Australia a 463 run lead, which ended up being nearly 400 too many as England were all out for 79. Hayden played 103 Tests for 8,625 runs at an average of 50.73.
Michael Slater
176 and 45 v England November 1994
Australia won the toss and batted, bowling the first ball of the Ashes was Phil DeFreitas. DeFreitas was not too quick, and the ball was a loosener warm up ball which could have been left but Slater had his eye in from ball one and set the tone of the series with a square drive through gully for four. Slater made 176 from 244 balls with twenty-five fours before falling just before stumps to the lethal combination of c Gatting b Gooch. Slater played 74 Tests for 5,312 runs at an average of 42.83.
Ricky Ponting
196 and 60* v England November 2006
Punter was looking forward to playing England after losing the Ashes in England in 2005. Day 1 of the Ashes after winning the toss and batting, Ponting was not out at the end of the day for 137*. He made 196 from 319 balls with twenty-four fours. Australia made 9/602 before rolling England for 157. Ponting allowed his bowlers to rest while Australia made 1/202 with Ponting 60*, England then made 370. Ponting would play 168 Tests and score 13,378 runs at 51.85.
Kim Hughes
34 and 4 v West Indies November 1984
Clive Lloyd won the toss and sent Australia in for the Second Test at Brisbane after winning the first Test. Australia made 175, with Hughes making a flashy 34 runs from 37 balls. West Indies won by eight wickets and at his post match press conference, Kim Hughes resigned in tears as captain. Hughes captained Australia 28 times for four wins, 13 losses and 11 draws. He played the next two Tests, where he made three ducks and two runs before being dropped. Hughes played 70 Tests for 4,415 runs at 37.41.
Travis Head
152 and 17 and 1/3 v India December 2024
After India won the first Test, Australia struck back in the Second Test in Adelaide with Travis Head making 140 and then in Brisbane, Head again took control of the match. Coming in at 3/75 Head made 152 from 160 balls including eighteen fours to drive Australia to 445. Head has an affinity with Brisbane after making 152 from 148 balls against England in 2021. Despite his efforts, rain forced the match into a draw. Head has played 61 Tests for 4,107 runs at an average of 42.34.
Ian Healy
161* and 45* and 4 catches v West Indies November 1996
Healy came in on Day 1 of the Test with Australia at 5/196 and in need of a partnership. Healy and Steve Waugh put on 142 with Healy making his highest Test score of 161* in front of his home crowd to steer Australia to a score of 479 and a 123 run victory. Healy’s 161* came off 250 balls and included twenty fours. Two years later he made 134 at the Gabba against England. Healy played 119 Tests for 4,356 runs at 27.39 and 366 catches and 29 stumpings.
Mitchell Johnson
4/61 and 5/42 and 64 and 39 v England November 2013
In 2013 Australia toured England and lost the Ashes 3-0. Johnson had been out of form and was not selected. England toured Australia straight away resulting in back-to-back Ashes contests. Johnson was different to the player England encountered the last time – he had confidence, he was intimating, and had a handlebar moustache grown for Movember (which he kept for the series). Johnson took 37 wickets and was player of the series. Johnson played 73 Tests for 313 wickets at 28.40.
Shane Warne
3/39 and 8/71 v England November 1994
This was the first time England had faced Shane Warne since the 1993 Ashes. All the bad memories returned for England, chasing 508 runs they were 2/211 at stumps on day four. Warne took 8/71 to bowl England out for 323. His figures of 8/71 remain his best ever Test figures. Warne played 145 Tests and took 708 wickets at 25.41.
Peter Siddle
6/54 and 0/90 v England November 2010
Day 1 of the Test was Peter Siddle’s 26th birthday and it was a suitably memorable day. England were 4/197 when Siddle had Alastair Cook caught in slip for 67, next ball Matthew Prior was bowled for a duck and his hat trick ball Stuart Broad was LBW. Broad went for the review, but the ball was shown to be plumb. England were all out before the end of the day for 260. Siddle played 67 Tests for 221 wickets at 30.66.
Bruce Reid [Source: Author]
5/112 and 2/39 v West Indies November 1992
Reid was one of our most talented bowlers who unfortunately had brittle back and was forever injury prone. If Australia had a chance to win the series, a fit Bruce Reid would bolster the chances. Reid removed both openers cheaply in the first innings before getting three of the last five wickets. He then removed Phil Simmons again in his first over of the second innings. Reid was injured in the following Shield match between the First and Second Test and was meant to be out for just two Tests but actually missed most of the season. Reid was 29 but was never selected for Australia again, though he played Shield cricket until 1996. Reid played 27 Tests for 113 wickets at 24.83.
Glenn McGrath [Source: Author]
61* and 0/67 and 3/19 v New Zealand November 2004
New Zealand batted first, made 353 and when Glenn McGrath joined Jason Gillespie in the middle Australia were 9/471. Gillespie and McGrath put on 114 for the last wicket with both made fifties. McGrath made 61 from 92 balls with five fours and one six. New Zealand were bowled out in the second innings for 76 which was less than the tenth wicket partnership between Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath. McGrath also had an amazing match in 2000-2001 against the West Indies when he took 6/17 and 4/10. McGrath played 124 Tests for 641 runs at an average of 7.36 plus 563 wickets at 21.64.
Sub Fielder
Peter Cantrell
2 catches v England November 1990
Queensland opening bat Peter Cantrell took two catches in the gully including a blinder from Alec Stewart. Cantrell had Dutch heritage and played five games for the Netherlands at the 1996 World Cup where he scored 160 runs at an average of 32.
Other moments
Greg Chappell
201 v Pakistan November 1981
Chappell’s 201 came from 296 balls with just six fours.
Kepler Wessels
162 and 46 v England November 1982
After waiting three years to qualify to play for Australia, Wessels scored 162 on Test debut from 343 balls.
Greg Matthews
2 and 115 and 3/110 v New Zealand November 1985
Despite New Zealand winning the Test by an innings, Australia found a new cult hero in Greg Matthews playing just his sixth Test since his debut two years prior. Matthews and Border both made hundreds in a 197-run partnership with Matthews making another century against India and one against New Zealand in New Zealand immediately after our summer.
Chris Matthews
0/62 and 0/18 v West Indies November 1988
This was Matthews’ last of three Tests, where in a four over spell, he was more wayward than Mitchell Johnson at his worst. Matthews bowled five wides and four no balls that went from fine leg to second slip.
Terry Alderman
2/44 and 6/47 v England November 1990
England’s 1989 nightmare returned in the First Test with Alderman’s eight wickets steering Australia to victory and the Man of the Match award.
Geoff Marsh and Mark Taylor
v England November 1990
The first Ashes Test of 1990-1991 was a low scoring affair. England were all out on Day 1 for 194, Australia replied being all out for 152. In the second innings England were all out for 114. Australia was set 157 to win and passed the score without losing a wicket in 46 overs late on Day 3. Taylor made 67* and Marsh 72*.
Craig McDermott
4/35 v West Indies November 1992
McDermott nearly steered Australia to an amazing victory in the first Test before the match was halted by hailstorm on the last day. McDermott had the West Indies 4/9 in the second innings with Haynes out for 1, Lara 0 and first innings century maker Arthurton 0.
Michael Clarke
141 v New Zealand November 2004
This was Clarke’s first Test in Australia after he made his debut Test century in India.
Michael Hussey
195 v England November 2010
Australia was 5/143 when Brad Haddin joined Hussey at the crease and together, they put on 307 runs with Haddin making 136.
James Pattinson
1/64 and 5/27 v New Zealand December 2011
This was Pattinson’s first Test and he earned Man of the Match for it.
Steve Smith
91* v West Indies January 2024
Smith carried his bat in his second Test as an opening batter as Australia were rolled for 207 and lost by eight runs.
Joe Burns
71 and 129 v New Zealand November 2015
Burns’s 129 came from 123 balls.
Patrick Cummins
5/38 and 2/51 v England December 2021
This was Cummins’s first Test as Captain.
Visitors
Rory Burns (England)
0 and 13 December 2021
The first ball of the Ashes series in Brisbane has not being good for England; whether it’s bowling as shown by DeFreitas or Harmison or batting as shown here with Burns. Mitchell Starc bowled the first ball an in swinging yorker that hit Burns’s leg stump out for a golden duck. Burns was dropped after the Second Test before being recalled for the Fifth Test. Burns played 32 Tests for 1,789 runs at an average 30.32.
Alistair Cook (England)
67 and 235 November 2010
England made 260 in the first innings before Australia replied with 481. England’s second innings commenced just before stumps on Day 3 and they were 0/19 at stumps. Openers Strauss and Cook had a 188 run opening partnership with Strauss making 110. At stumps on Day 4 England were 1/309 and they were in until just before tea on Day 5; they made 1/517 with Trott on 135* and Cook 235* from 428 balls. Cook and Trott’s partnership was 329. Cook played 161 Tests for 12,472 runs at an average 45.35.
Aravinda De Silva (Sri Lanka)
167 and 1/45 December 1989
Sri Lanka were still relative cricket minnows in 1989 when they toured Australia for a two-Test series. De Silva debuted in 1984 and ended up Man of the Match in the 1996 World Cup Final. In this Test Sri Lanka kept Australia to a gallant draw after bowling Australia out for 367 and after being 6/238, Sri Lanka made 418 with De Silva’s 167 from 361 balls including seventeen fours and one six. De Silva played 93 Tests for 6,361 runs at 42.97 plus 29 wickets.
Nasser Hussain (England)
51 and 11 November 2002
Hussain won the toss on the first day of the Ashes and put Australia into bat. At the end of Day 1 Australia were 2/364 after Hayden and Ponting both made hundreds in a 272-run partnership. The pitch was offering nothing that would indicate putting a team in. Also, quick bowler Simon Jones – who had taken a wicket – injured his knee in the outfield. Hussain may have felt vindicated later though as Australia were all out for 492 losing last nine wickets for 153 runs. England made 325 runs with four of the top six batters making fifties but in the second innings England were rolled for 79 as McGrath took four wickets and Warne three. Hussain played 96 Tests for 5,764 runs at 37.18.
Clive Lloyd [Source: Author]
114 November 1984
This series was Clive Lloyd’s last series as a Test cricketer and the second Test in Brisbane was the last of Clive Lloyd’s 19 Test hundreds at the age of 40. Known as the Big Cat, Lloyd is recognized as one of the best ever Test captains. In this Test Australia were all out for 175 with West Indies replying with 424 after a 152 run partnership between Richardson and Lloyd; the West Indies ended up winning by eight wickets. Lloyd’s 114 came from 154 balls and included fourteen fours and three sixes. Lloyd played 110 Tests for 7,515 runs at average 46.67, his captaincy record was 74 Tests for 36 wins, 12 losses and 26 draws.
Rishabh Pant (India)
23 and 89* and 4 catches January 2021
Pant was Man of the Match in India’s three wicket Test victory that gave India a 2-1 series win. Australia had won the toss and decided to bat, they made 369 before India made 336. In the second innings Australia made 294, setting 338 to win. Pant came in at 3/167 just before tea on the last day and had an inexperienced tail behind him. While India lost Pujara at 228, Pant kept attacking to guide them to a famous victory with 89* from 138 balls including nine fours and one six. Pant has played 48 Tests for 3,454 runs at an average of 44.28 with 155 catches and 15 stumpings.
Ian Botham (England)
138 and 2/58 and 1/34 November 1986
Before Nasser Hussain, Allan Border won the first Test at the Gabba and elected to field. Day 1 England made steady perhaps slow progress being 2/198 at stumps. Day 2 Ian Botham revived his 1981 Ashes batting with 138 off 174 balls including thirteen fours and four sixes as England made 456. After Australia failed to make the follow on with 248, Botham took the new ball in the second innings and removed David Boon for 14. England won the Test and also the series in Australia. Botham played 102 Tests for 5,200 runs at 33.54 with 383 wickets at 28.40.
Richard Hadlee [Source: Author]
9/52 and 6/71 and 54 November 1985
This may have been New Zealand greaTest cricket moment, embarrassing Australia in the 1st Test. Hadlee was at the peak of his cricket, taking the first eight wickets in Australia score of 179. The only wicket Hadlee did not take, he took the catch. New Zealand would make 7/553 before Australia made 333 giving New Zealand a win by an innings and 41 runs. Hadlee played 86 Tests for 431 wickets at 22.29 and made 3,124 runs at 27.16.
Vaughan Brown (New Zealand)
1/17 and 0/96 and 36 November 1985
Brown bowled 12 overs for 1/17 and the second-best figures after Richard Hadlee’s 9/52. Brown took the wicket of Geoff Lawson caught Richard Hadlee at Mid On. Brown played two Tests for just one wicket.
Shamar Joseph (West Indies)
1/56 and 7/68 January 2024
Joseph impressed in the last Test on debut taking 5/94 on debut. In the second Test Jospeh bowled the West Indies to a historic victory, perhaps their best for over 20 years. With Australia set 216 to win, Australia were 2/60 at stumps. On Day 4 Shamar Joseph took seven of the eight wickets to fall to steer West Indies to victory by 8 runs halfway through Day 4. Joseph bowled 11.5 overs 7/68. Joseph has so far played 11 Tests for 51 wickets at 21.66.
Steve Harmison (England)
1/123 and 0/54 November 2006
Harmison had an impressive 2005 Ashes with aggressive bowling taking 17 wickets at 32.29. Harmison was the leader of the bowling attack and would bowl the first over of the series. Harmison first ball was so wide it ended up at second slip. Matthew Hoggard, who was at fine leg, thought it was a wicket caught second slip. Harmison never recovered for the series. In the second innings he was too nervous to take the new ball he bowled second change and for the rest of the series he did not take the new ball. Harmison played 63 Tests for 226 wickets at 31.82.
Other moments
Richie Richardson (West Indies)
138 November 1984
This was Richardson third hundred in six Test matches against Australia in 1984. Richardson had made two hundreds against the touring Australia earlier in 1984.
Martin Crowe (New Zealand)
188 November 1985
After Hadlee had taken 9 wickets to roll Australia for 179, the elegant Crowe made 188 in a score of 7/553 to destroy Australia’s bowlers.
Keith Arthurton [Source: Author]
157* and 0 November 1992
Arthurton had a swagger and also wore the big brimmed hat like his captain. Arthurton came in at 3/58 to guide the West Indies to a first innings lead before being bowled brilliantly by McDermott in the second innings.
Aamer Sohail (Pakistan)
32 and 99 and 2/43 November 1995
After Pakistan made 97 in reply to Australia’s 463, Pakistan needed to some such resilience which Sohail was the only one to do before being bowled by McGrath for 99 from 159 balls.
Saeed Anwar (Pakistan)
61 and 119 November 1999
Anwar is probably considered Pakistan’s best ever opening bat; this was his best performance in Australia.
Zaheer Khan (India)
5/95 December 2003
Zaheer ripped through Australia’s top order and removed Hayden, Ponting, S. Waugh, Katich, and Gilchrist.
Jacob Oram (New Zealand)
126* and 8 and 0/116 November 2004
Oram was injury plagued whose best day with the bat was in the first Test against Australia in 2004.
Adrian Barath (West Indies)
15 and 104 November 2009
The West Indies were forced to follow on with Barath on Test debut making a splendid 104 opening the batting from 138 balls; after he went the West Indies were 6/154.
Asad Shafiq (Pakistan)
2 and 137 December 2016
Shafiq’s blistering innings came from 207 balls and included thirteen fours and one six.
Shardul Thakur (India)
3/94 and 4/61 and 67 and 2 January 2021
Chasing Australia’s 8/369 in the first innings India were 6/186 when Thakur joined Washington Sundar. Together they got India back in the match with a 123 run partnerships, which was vital considering the next four wickets fell for 27. Thakur took vital wickets in both innings to set up an unlikely India win.
Kigdoso Rabada (South Africa)
4/76 and 4/13 December 2022
Australia was set only 35 runs to win, however Rabada produced an unlikely cameo to claim 4/13 from four overs. They included Khawaja 2, Warner 3, Smith 6, and Head 0. If the target was 100 it may have been very interesting game.
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The mention of the Gabba Dog Track in the article preview had me thinking about great players and times from the dog track era (1972 ro 1992). Only Kim Hughes, Ian Healy and Bruce Reid from Rodney’s team would have played Tests in the dog track era.
I reckon the last Test with the dog track would have been the First Test against India in late 1991. Shane Warne debuted later in that series. But Sachin Tendulkar would have had the honour of walking out to bat with a yellow plastic bag in his pocket in case he tripped over some stray refuse.
Dennis Lilley or Craig McDermott steaming in from the Vulture Street end would have been coming in from the kennel yard.
The track had a metal panel inner fence that carried the lure with a cyclone wire top – like they were racing around a cattle chute. Lots of bumping and crashing.
Something of the mad contrasts of Joh era Queensland in having a gambler’s dog track surround the Elysian Field of a Test Cricket ground.
Surely Top Simbi deserves a spot in the list of greatest ever Gabba performers.
https://www.horseinsurance.com.au/the-history-of-the-gabba-greyhound-racing-club/
The Australia v West Indies was the first tied Test match in cricket history, which occurred in the 1960-61 series in Brisbane.
Brisbane became a test venue in 1931 when the Gabba hosted its first match between Australia and South Africa. However, the first ever Test match played in Brisbane was actually in 1928 at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground between England and Australia.
Don Bradman made only 18 and 1 in his first Test appearance, against in England in Brisbane, just over 97 years ago on 30 November, 1928. Bradman was only 20, but fellow new boy Bert Ironmonger was 46, Australia’s oldest Test debutant at the time. It’s not a match either man would have remembered too fondly, as England won by a mammoth 675 runs.
Bradman ended up scoring 4 Test centuries in Brisbane:
1) 223 v West Indies, Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane, 16 January 1931. Australia won by an innings and 217 runs, with Bradman’s score being the highest by an Australian at home at the time.
2) 226 v South Africa, The Gabba, Brisbane, 27 November 1931. It was the first Test match at the Brisbane Cricket Ground. Bradman’s 226 broke Victor Trumper’s record for the highest individual score in a Test match at the time. Australia won by an innings and 163 runs.
3) 187 v England, The Gabba, Brisbane, 29 November 1946. This was the first Test of the 1946-47 Ashes series, marking Bradman’s comeback after his war service. He was given a life on 28. England was convinced Bradman was out for 28 off bowler Bill Voce, caught by Jack Ikin at second slip. However, the players delayed their appeal and Bradman did not walk, leading the umpire to give him not out after deeming it was a “bump ball”. The decision frustrated the England team. Australia won by an innings and 332 runs, and ultimately won the series 3-0.
4) 185 v India, The Gabba, Brisbane, 28 November 1947. Australia won by an innings and 226 runs. Bradman was out hit wicket, which was the only time it happened in his career.