Gabba set to lose the first Test of next summer under a Cricket Australia revamp

Gabba set to lose the first Test of next summer under a Cricket Australia revamp
APRIL 7, 2016 9:09PM


Peter Badel
The Courier-Mail

AUSTRALIA coach Darren Lehmann has backed moves for a day-night Test at the Gabba as Cricket Australia embarks on a revamp of this summer’s international schedule.
The Gabba has traditionally launched the summer of cricket in November, but it will be controversially stripped of the first Test in 2016-17, with Perth tipped to host a bumper series opener against South Africa.
Under a CA scheduling plan set to be released this month, Brisbane will instead be handed its first day-night Test against Pakistan in December as a preamble to marquee Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.
The move could go down like a lead balloon with traditionalists who will point out Australia has not been beaten in a Test match at the Gabba for the past 28 years.

Australia coach Darren Lehmann has backed moves for a day-night Test at the Gabba. Picture: Getty Images

Lehmann, the former Queensland coach, is acutely aware of Australia’s imperious record at the Gabba, but believes Queenslanders would flock to a day-night Test.
“If that ends up happening (Brisbane losing the first Test), then whatever Cricket Australia can do to get crowds back to the Gabba is essential,” Lehmann said.
“We have a proud history at the Gabba, we haven’t lost the first Test there for 30 years so it will be a different slant on things from a coaching point of view.
“From a fan’s point of view, getting people through the gates is what the game is about so we have to make sure we’re doing the right thing by fans.
“The people of Queensland will love a day-night Test. It was a great success in Adelaide last summer so I can’t see why it can’t be equally successful at the Gabba.

“I can see it being an overwhelming success if the Gabba hosts a day-night Test.”
Fears the Gabba would lose the first Test intensified last summer after Australian skipper Steve Smith expressed his disappointment at crowd numbers for the New Zealand clash.
Overall, 53,572 attended the Gabba Test over five rain-affected days and while it was a trans-Tasman record, the sight of 1373 fans on the final day rang alarm bells.
CA boss James Sutherland has flagged the prospect of more day-night Test cricket and Lehmann believes the Gabba is an ideal location.
“If it ends up being a day-night Test at a different time of the year, it can only be good for the game,” he said.
“It’s an interesting scenario. You could slant this either way, but for me, it’s about getting people through the gates and if we get more people watching Australia at the Gabba, then that’s a great thing.

“The Gabba has never had any problems in an Ashes series and we got a record crowd last summer for the New Zealand series. It’s more a perception of what’s a good crowd there.
“As a team, we would have to adapt to conditions the best way we can.
“The Gabba is pretty similar all the way through. Kevvie Mitchell is an outstanding curator and he prepares the pitch so well for every match we play.
“I can’t see there being too much of a difference with the conditions.”

Get set to see more of the Gabba under lights. Picture: Lee Carseldine and Droneit GroupSource:Supplied

Former Test quick Ryan Harris recently warned Cricket Australia of the perils of playing a day-night Test at the Gabba — particularly if South Africa was the opposition.
“I don’t think Brisbane is a logical place to play it just yet,” Harris said. “It would be a big mistake given the bowling attacks we have and South Africa have.
“It could potentially be over in two, two and a half or three days.
“If it’s one of those hot Brisbane days, you’d certainly want to bowl when the sun goes down. It’d be zipping around everywhere.
“The ball would be in reasonable shape but the batsmen wouldn’t be. I reckon it would be tough to play day-night cricket at the Gabba.
“What we saw in Adelaide, it’d probably be five or 10 times worse.”

www.news.com.au/sport/gabba-set-to-lose-...f6ea8abe63aa1910e63c

It seems that a lot of test match cricket is over after 2 days and if it isn't, you can certainly predict the outcome relatively easily so it's a problem that needs to be tackled across the board.

While the Gabba might come under pressure because of the way the pitch is prepared, it's not the only stadium in the world that suffers from a pitch that affects the outcome of the games, sometimes more than the players do.