Those usual characteristics of the Brisbane pitch, namely pace and bounce, should suit England’s battery of pace bowlers, as they did in the first innings in Perth before things took a ghastly turn.
Historically, the Gabba is even bouncier than the Perth Stadium and sits as the bounciest pitch anywhere in the world.
It is also the ground where a ‘hard length’ (balls pitching between 8m and 10m from the batter) is most effective globally.
Helpfully, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Ben Stokes and Josh Tongue, who could come in for the injured Mark Wood, bowl within or close to this range on average.
When England found good or hard lengths in the first Test they averaged 12.5 and 19.8 respectively.
Previous pink-ball Tests suggest batting will be tricky under lights but there have also been long periods the ball does little in the daylight.
That could also help England’s struggling batters find form.
