England's players and supporters will shiver when recounting recent performances at the Gabba in Brisbane

Ground Name The Gabba
Address Vulture St, Wooloongabba QLD 4151
End names Stanley Street End and Vulture Street End
Telephone (07) 3292 3100
Fax (07) 3262 9160
Ground Capacity approx 40,000
Email qldc@qldcricket.com.au
Website www.qldcricket.com.au

Follow England's tour of Australia on www.ecb.co.uk/ashes

Has been used as a First Class Cricket Ground since 1897 although it did not host its first Test until 1931. Staged Australia’s first ever Twenty20 International in 2006 and was used to stage events in the 2000 Olympics.

Traditionally, the Gabba wicket has been a batting heaven. The track has always been known to have stayed flat and true for the duration of the five days. The fast bowlers may get slight assistance early on, but that is the most they can expect to receive.

England fans will remember the ground as the venue for Ian Botham’s last Test century, a hard-hitting 138 on the triumphant Ashes tour of 1986-87.

A spectacular thunderstorm on the final day allowed England to escape with a draw at ‘The Gabba’ in 1998-99, but England lost famously here in 2002-03, when Simon Jones ruptured his knee ligaments in the field and captain Nasser Hussain was left rueing his decision to field, and in 2006-7 when Steve Harmison bowled the first ball of the series to second slip.

Venue Head-to-Head

Australia and England have met 18 times at the ground, with the hosts winning ten times, the tourists four and four draws. The last win for England at the Gabba came way back in November 1986.

England's disastrous Ashes tour four years ago started in Brisbane with a 277-run defeat