The Gabba (Brisbane)

The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as the Gabba, first opened in 1895. The name Gabba derives from the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located. Over the years, it has hosted athletics, Australian rules football, baseball, concerts, cricket, cycling, rugby league, rugby union, plus pony and greyhound racing.

Football has also been played regularly at the venue. The first men’s international game was back in 1923 when Australia defeated New Zealand in front of a crowd of 7,000. After a couple more matches, games were played at the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds, which still stages regular sport.

Football returned to the Gabba in 1947 for an Australia v South Africa friendly before two matches were played there in the 50s. The rectangular Lang Park then became the venue of choice in the city, although friendly games involving leading English and Scottish clubs were played at the Gabba.

The Gabba served as a temporary home ground for Brisbane Roar in the early A-League years before their move to Suncorp Stadium, as Lang Park had become. Brazil played their three group games in the 2000 Olympics at the Gabba, along with their quarter-final in the redeveloped stadium, by now home to Brisbane Lions in the AFL.

My visit

England v Sri Lanka (Friday 20th December 2002) Australia VB Tri-Nation Series

My six-week break from working for the MCC at Lord’s Cricket Ground was certainly eventful. England had already lost the Ashes series before I touched down in Brisbane, after visiting Sydney, Perth and then enjoyed a week-long break in New Zealand before watching a defeat at the SCG in the opening game of the tri-series. 

My base was Helensvale at the home of the family of my Aussie pal Jarvo, with other workmates Martin and Harry already there. I had a ball getting on with everyone and doing as much sightseeing and mixing as possible before we took the train into town for this game.

What happened was we drank an awful lot, even before going inside the Gabba, which only had the lower tier open for spectators, and we then continued unabated for several hours. Thankfully, England won their first game of the tour, seeing off the Sri Lankans by 43 runs.

The highlights were Steve Harmison making his ODI debut and Nasser Hussein chipping in with 79. Off the pitch, memories are vague, but I do remember celebrating on the way to a car, in which someone offered us a lift, and seeing Richie Benaud stop at the junction for us.

We headed on to Fortitude Valley, which was lively, helped by being the day many were knocking off for the Christmas holidays. We were extremely subdued the following morning, trying to recover on the South Bank before the train back. I quite liked Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Gabba.