Thursday’s game is the second Test of a five Test series. Australia won the opening game of the series, in Perth, inside two days. Jonhenry Wilson previews the second Test.
Quick Facts
- The last five Tests between the two sides are split 2-2 with one draw.
- The Brisbane Test is a day-night game.
- With 958 pink-ball runs to his credit, Marnus Labuschagne is the highest run scorer in day-night Test cricket. He is followed by Steve Smith with 815.
- With 81 pink-ball wickets to his credit, Mitch Starc is the undisputed king of day-night Test bowling. His tally of 81 is almost double the next best bowler, Pat Cummins, who has 43.
- With 14 day-night Tests to their credit, Australia are the most experienced side in the format. England has played seven day-night Tests.
- Australia have lost just once in pink-ball cricket while England only won two of their seven outings under lights.
- No day-night Test has ever ended in a draw.
Team News
- Veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja will miss the second Test as he has yet to recover properly from the back spasms which forced him out in Perth. He will remain with the squad and is aiming to be fit in time for third Test.
- Aside from Khawaja’s withdrawal, Australia is also without regular skipper Pat Cummins and pace bowler Josh Hazelwood. Cummins had been aiming for a return to action in Brisbane, but he needs more time on the recovery trail. Steve Smith will continue as captain in Cummins’ absence.
- England have injury worries of their own with Mark Wood set to miss out as he struggles to overcome a niggle. In his place England has confirmed that T20I specialist Will Jacks will play. Jacks, who last played Test cricket in 2022, has two caps to his credit. He was preferred ahead of Shoaib Bashir.
Venue: Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
England’s record at the Gabba is poor. They have managed just four wins at the ground since first playing there in 1933.
Australia have lost ten of their 67 Tests at the ground – with 42 victories they boast a win percentage of 62 percent.
The last time England won a Test at the Gabba was in 1986 when a team featuring Ian Botham, David Gower and Stuart Broad’s father, Chris, beat Australia by seven wickets.
The tendency when winning the toss in Brisbane is to bat first – that’s been the case in 42 of the 67 Tests at the venue.
The average first innings score at the ground is 329.
The highest score made at the Gabba came in an Ashes Test in 1946 when a Donald Bradman-inspired Australia recorded a first innings total of 645 all out in 158.6 overs.
The lowest Test score ever recorded at the Gabba was India’s 58 all out in 21.3 overs, made against Australia in 1947. Aussie bowler Ernie Toshack produced some of the best bowling figures of all time in that game when he took five wickets for two runs in his 2.3 overs.
The highest score chased to win a Test at the Gabba came in 2021 when India posted a total of 329 for seven to win by three wickets.
Weather:
If the second Test lasts as long as the first, then the weather won’t be an issue. Days one to three of the game are scheduled to unfold in cloudless, balmy conditions. But there is rain predicted for days four and five.
It might only be showers but it looks set to have some sort of effect on the game, should it reach the final couple of days. The maximum temperature will be 30 degrees on Sunday while the daily lows will all be in the high teens.
Form (most recent game first):
Australia: W, W, W, W, L.
England: L, L, D, W, L.
Key player:
Australia, Mitchell Starc: Far and away the best exponent of the pink ball in the games’ history, Starc was in stellar form in the first Test as he returned match figures of 10 for 113. With Hazelwood and Cummins unavailable, Starc appears to be relishing the chance to lead the attack with Scott Boland.
With 412 wickets to his credit, he is just five wickets shy of drawing level with Wasim Akram as the most prolific left-arm seamer in the history of the game. Chances are good that he will pass Akram in Brisbane.
Starc has a career Test average of 26,64 with his numbers against England marginally better at 25,86. His day-night average is an excellent 17,08.
England, Joe Root: As much as England can boast three batsmen in the top ten of the ICC’s rankings, it is number one-ranked player Joe Root on whom so much rests. Make no mistake, Root is under big pressure heading into the Brisbane game as he goes looking for a first-ever Test ton in Australia.
It is the one territory that he has yet to conquer. But success for Root is not just about personal milestones, he is central to the entire England cause. Root needs to get in and stay in to play a long knock.
If he can do that the runs will come. The downside of BazBall, to which England are currently wedded, is that while batting strike rates go up, bowling strike rates come down – that means bowlers all feel like they are in the game. A classic Root innings can bring that to an end.
Verdict: Australia
England has the resources to win this, but the big question is whether they have the correct game plan. England need to win to keep the series interesting, but neither their record in Brisbane nor their record in day-night Tests suggests that it will happen. Australia don’t just have firepower of their own, they also have the psychological edge over their opponents. Expect Australia to do the business once again.
