Gabba Curator Predicts Balanced Contest Under Lights for Day-Night Ashes Test

Gabba curator Dave Sandurski says the pitch for next week’s day-night second Ashes Test will offer a fair contest between bat and ball, mirroring the conditions seen in Queensland’s recent Sheffield Shield win at the venue.

The Shield fixture, a pink-ball clash that ended on day three, showcased a surface that rewarded disciplined batting and skilful seam bowling. Matt Renshaw struck a composed 114 in Queensland’s first innings, while allrounder Xavier Bartlett contributed 72 before taking 4 for 35 under lights to dismantle Victoria.

Although the Test will be played on a different strip, Sandurski said the Shield match provided a useful indicator of how the Gabba behaves in day-night conditions.

“Gaining an extra day to get it close to that 10-day preparation period makes life a bit more comfortable,” Sandurski told AAP. “There’s heat around, so the wicket will dry out quicker. You’ve got to keep enough moisture in it to last five days.

“We try to make our wickets consistent for four and five-day cricket. The aim is to give all players the chance to showcase their skills, so hopefully all facets come into the game.”

Sandurski added that while the Perth Test ended inside two days, that result reflected the aggressive approach of both teams rather than a poor surface.

Bartlett said the key battleground in Brisbane would again be the twilight session, where the pink ball tends to move sharply.

“Just on twilight the pink ball talks a little bit more and you see wickets fall in clumps,” Bartlett said. “If the Test wicket is like the one we just played on, it will be a really good cricket wicket. When you bat well, you get rewarded, and if you bowl well, it’s the same.”

Renshaw echoed those sentiments, saying the match could turn quickly once the lights take effect.

“At twilight it feels like you can get a ball with your name on it,” he said. “But I think it’ll be similar to what we normally get at the Gabba. We saw in the pink-ball Test against the West Indies a few years ago that it swung around at times but was also good for batting.”

The second Ashes Test begins Thursday week, with hot weather expected to assist pitch preparation in the lead-up.