All Eyes On The Gabba

First came the early season tempest with clouds as green as a traditional Gabba deck. Next the searing heat, reaching temperatures upwards of 40 degrees. Then torrential rain, leaving the outfield under sheets of water.

After a washed-out day one, certainty came to the crease in the form of Australia’s prodigal skipper.

Indeed, these final October days created one of the more unique build-ups to a first class match in recent memory, but when the skies cleared Smith and number three Kurtis Patterson shone. Two days after Smith was officially named interim captain of the national side and a week after flying out from his NYC pad, the Australian number four made 118 against the Bulls on a true Gabba pitch.

Patterson, who last played a test in 2019 and averaged 57.15 in first class cricket last year, continued his recent form with a chanceless 122 that set up the Blues’ first innings. The two veterans put on 202 for the third wicket, making amends for an early misjudgement by Sam Konstas.

Typically it is safe to leave on length on the first morning at the Gabba, but with a damp day one ruling out play, the pitch revealed signs of variable bounce on day two. Konstas fell foul by trusting the bounce, shouldering arms to a Hayden Kerr delivery that crashed into middle.

It was Kerr’s first wicket in Bulls colours, and an even sweeter reward against his old side. Such is the unusual make-up of the Bulls XI for this match; five of the eleven players have NSW backgrounds.

Kerr, who played eight first class matches for the Blues, was the pick of Queensland’s bowlers throughout (2/58) as New South Wales compiled 7/429 before a declaration on the morning of day three. James Bazley (3/80) and Tom Straker (1/75) toiled but Queensland’s bowling depth was tested against a quality NSW top order.

If the storyline of day two was dominated by the success of one of Australia’s greatest ever cricketers, day three was about the response of Queensland’s own national stalwart, Usman Khawaja.

To begin, Khawaja struggled to quell the extra bounce in the morning session with Ryan Hadley bothering  the left-hander in the second over of the innings. Several deliveries ballooned off Khawaja’s stickers and fell tantalisingly close to infielders, prompting Jack Edwards to put in a short-leg and a leg slip.

With the field pressed in, Khawaja freed the arms with a trademark hook and two lovely cover drives that rocketed past Australian teammate Nathan Lyon.

The Blues were a touch too full either side of lunch and Khawaja took full toll. When they adjusted their length he was equally productive on the leg side, reaching a half-century in 62 balls with seven boundaries.

Every shot reflected an indomitable positivity that occasionally went AWOL in the opener’s game last summer. He seems more assured than ever, surpassing fifty twice in four innings.

The 38-year old’s duel with Nathan Lyon enthralled a small audience as more River City gloom descended and the Gabba floodlights blazed to life. Lyon fizzed through the crease, extracting trademark dip and bounce from the Gabba surface.

Khawaja used his feet to muscle the off-spinner over mid-off but predominantly played Lyon from the crease in a battle of cat and mouse, or rather, cat and GOAT.

Lyon almost had his man on 61 but Konstas failed to snaffle a tough chance at short-leg. Khawaja responded with three punishing leg-side boundaries as the tussle continued to see-saw. The chance to watch two veterans spar, with 223 tests between them, was worth the stop-start interruptions while monitoring  the new BoM radar (if only to return to the old)

Matt Renshaw opened with Khawaja and looms as a genuine opening contender for Perth. However, his knock was a laboured innings that never really got going. The tall left-hander was nearly out first ball; a push to mid-wicket looked to have proved fatal when Khawaja sent Renshaw back, leaving him stranded mid-pitch.

The throw missed by an inch and Renshaw duly answered by clipping two boundaries to the fence. However, he struggled to emulate the fluidity of his partner at the other end, eventually falling to a half-hearted leave that dragged the ball onto the stump. It was an indecisive shot that was indicative of his innings.

Labuschagne, who has been in scintillating form to start the summer, fell two overs later glancing a ball to leg gully. Khawaja continued on, batting unbeaten through the second session. He neared a century in the last session but fell to Charlie Stobo on 87, Ryan Hicks taking his first first-class catch.

University’s Jack Clayton finished with a graceful 81* as the Bulls ended on 4-238 but days two and three belonged to Australia’s test stars.

With Khawaja in the runs, Lyon in rhythm and Smith no longer in a New York state of mind, Australia’s Ashes prospects suddenly look much brighter. If only the same could be said for Brisbane’s weather.