The Ashes is one of cricket’s oldest competitions, created after a fake newspaper obituary in 1882 and represented by a small urn. The rivalry between Australia and England has influenced Test cricket for over 100 years.England face Australia in the first Test on Friday with what observers say is their most hostile bowling line-up in many years. For the first time since 1982, the opening match of an Ashes series in Australia will not be held at Brisbane’s Gabba.
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From 1986, the Gabba hosted the first Test between the two sides, with Australia winning seven and drawing two of the 10 matches played there in that period.The last Ashes series in Australia not to start at the Gabba was in 1982 when the teams played out a draw at the WACA in Perth.
Why isn’t the Gabba holding the first test
Although the Ashes feels proud of its long history, commercial decisions and new scheduling priorities have resulted in the Gabba losing hosting rights to open the series.Perth Stadium has a 10-year deal to host the first Test of the Australian summer, The Telegraph reported. The town has created the West Test festival around it and has sufficient hotel capacity for visitors.Australia last lost an Ashes opener at the Gabba in 1986 to Mike Gatting’s England. Since then they have not lost another Ashes Test at the ground.This year, the Gabba will host the second Test of the series from December 4 to 8. It will be the first Ashes day-night match. Then the five-match series moves to Adelaide Oval from December 17-21 for the first one-day Ashes Test since 2013, when Mitchell Johnson took 7-40 in the first innings to give Australia a 218-run win. The Melbourne Cricket Ground will host the Boxing Day Test and the Sydney Cricket Ground will host the New Year Test from January 4-8.
“Gabbatoir”
Former England player Chris Woakes called the Gabba opener’s absence “one per cent” and said England teams needed any help they could get on the Ashes tour. Starting from Gabby could be such a little help.Teams often find it easier when they don’t start in the “Gabbatoir”, a name associated with the country’s intense atmosphere. Located off Vulture Street in Brisbane’s industrial area, the Gabba has a long history of tough experiences for England teams.Several incidents there remain part of Ashes history. In 1954-55, Len Hutton’s decision to bowl first failed before England recovered later in the series. In 2006-07, Steve Harmison’s first ball at second slip set the tone 5-0. In 2013-14, Mitchell Johnson delivered a wild performance that set the tone for the series. In the following Ashes, the story of Jonny Bairstow’s header broke during the Test. In the last series, Rory Burns was bowled by Mitchell Starc on the first ball at The Gabba.England will play at the Gabba again this time, but in the second Test under lights. Perth’s new order followed by Brisbane may create a different kind of challenge. But for now, England start the series at Perth Stadium.It remains to be seen whether this change is a ‘one per cent’ in England’s favor or whether the results will continue as before.Australia have won 13 and drawn two of the 15 Ashes Tests at home since England won in Sydney in 2011. Australia won the last home Ashes 4-0 in 2021-22 and retained the urn with a 2-2 draw in England last year.
