England's Ashes record at the Gabba
Wins: 4
Losses: 11
Draws: 5
Highest total: 517/1 in 2010
Lowest total: 79 in 2002
Highest score: Alastair Cook – 235 not out v Australia in 2010
Most runs: Alastair Cook – 434
Best bowling: Bill Voce – 6-41 v Australia in 1936
Most wickets: Bob Willis – 19
The glorious comeback in 2010
England will need to evoke the spirit of 2010 when the Ashes begins in Brisbane this week.
The tourists have played 20 Tests at the ‘Gabbatoir’, winning just four and drawing five, the most recent of which came seven years ago when they recovered from a perilous position to salvage a confidence-boosting draw.
Trailing by 221 runs after the first innings, England batted again and made a scarcely believable 517 for one – something Graham Gooch called ‘the perfect scoreboard’.
Alastair Cook, who struck an unbeaten 235, put on 188 with Andrew Strauss (110) and 329 with Jonathan Trott (135*) to ensure England travelled to Adelaide with the series level.
Vintage Botham
You have to go back to 1986 for England's last victory at the Gabba.
In that game Ian Botham cracked 138 as England rattled up 456 after being asked to bat first.
Graham Dilley then took 5-68 as Australia followed on and five wickets from John Emburey in the second innings left England chasing 75 to win, which they duly did.
“It was the perfect start to the tour,” recalled captain Mike Gatting. “The Gabba has changed a fair bit since I last played there; it's quite an arena now.
“As captain, if you win the toss you think you should bowl, but then have a bat. You need to bat well, though, but once you get through the first session it becomes a good pitch for two or three days.
“Quite often the team that wins the first session at Brisbane wins the Test. That first ball, first over and first couple of hours are crucial.”
Start as you mean to go on
Twice in recent series the first ball at Brisbane has set the tone for the rest of the Test.
In 1994 Michael Slater sent Australia on their way towards a big victory by hitting Phil DeFreitas’ first ball of the series for four.
Who could forget Steve Harmison bowling the opening delivery of the 2006-07 Ashes to second slip? We all know what happened after that.
And let's not mention Nasser Hussain's decision to field first at Brisbane in 2002.
It started so well...
The tourists triumphed in their first two Tests at Brisbane, a seven-wicket victory in 1933 followed by a 322-run win three years later.
In that game Maurice Leyland's 126 in the first innings put England in a position of strength, which fast bowlers Bill Voce and Gubby Allen exploited. Voce finished with match figures of 10-57 while Allen took eight wickets.
England had to wait 42 years for their next success in Brisbane, which began with Bob Willis, Chris Old and Ian Botham bowling Australia out for just 116.
Derek Randall made 75 as England built up a healthy lead but Australia regrouped and hundreds from Graham Yallop and Kim Hughes set the visitors 170 to win.
It was Randall who took England home with an unbeaten 74 while David Gower played his part to finish on 48 not out.
England v Australia in Brisbane
1933: England won by six wickets
1936: England won by 322 runs
1946: Australia won by innings and 322 runs
1950: Australia won by 70 runs
1954: Australia won by innings and 154 runs
1958: Australia won by eight wickets
1962: Draw
1965: Draw
1970: Draw
1974: Australia won by 166 runs
1978: England won by seven wickets
1982: Australia won by seven wickets
1986: England won by seven wickets
1990: Australia won by 10 wickets
1994: Australia won by 184 runs
1998: Draw
2002: Australia won by 384 runs
2006: Australia won by 277 runs
2010: Draw
2013: Australia won by 381 runs