The Gabba

The Gabba in 1899

The land on which the ground sits was set aside for use as a cricket ground in 1895 and the first match was held on the site on 19 December 1896, between Parliament and The Press. Prior to this, cricket was played at a ground in the area then known as Green Hills (beside Countess Street Petrie Terrace opposite the Victoria Barracks – now occupied by the Northern Busway),[11] since at least the early 1860s.[12]

Cricket match, 1936

Greyhound racing meetings were held during 1928 at the ground.[13]

The Gabba shared first-class cricket matches with the Exhibition Ground until 1931. The first Sheffield Shield match at the Gabba was scheduled to be played between 31 January 1931 and 4 February 1931, but it was washed out without a ball being bowled. The first Test match at the Gabba was played between Australia and South Africa between 27 November and 3 December 1931.

In 1972, a greyhound track was installed at The Gabba with night meetings held weekly at the ground for 21 years.[14]

The Gabba in the 1980s prior to redevelopment

From February 1993, work commenced on turning The Gabba into an all-seater stadium. The last greyhound meeting was held at The Gabba on 5 February 1993, with work commencing shortly after to remove the greyhound track around the ground to accommodate the relocation of the Brisbane Bears from Carrara (on the Gold Coast) to The Gabba, renovating the Sir Gordon Chalk Building to house the Bears Social Club and change rooms, refurbishing the Clem Jones stand (named for the long-standing Mayor of Brisbane, Clem Jones), the construction of a new Western grandstand, and extending the playing surface to cater for Australian rules football.

The work was largely completed by 11 April when the Bears hosted their first AFL game at the renovated venue against Melbourne in front of 12,821 spectators.[15] Subsequent further renovations at the ground saw the current two tier stands constructed in stages with the last stage completed in 2005 when the Brisbane Lions Social Club (formerly the Brisbane Bears Social Club) was demolished and replaced with a 24 bay grandstand spread over 3 levels of seating with the entire redevelopment costing $AU128 million.[16] In mid-2020 the Gabba received a $35 million refurbishment of the stadium's media and corporate facilities, as well as entrances and spectator amenities.[17] The work was completed in October that year, shortly before the venue hosted the 2020 AFL Grand Final.[18]

After Brisbane was awarded the rights to host the 2032 Summer Olympics by the International Olympic Committee, the Queensland Government announced the Gabba would be the central venue used for the Games. The government has proposed demolishing the stadium's foundations and rebuilding the Gabba with new grandstands in its place, which would seat approximately 50,000 spectators. The cost of the proposal was initially announced as $1 billion, but that figure was later revised to $2.7 billion. The venue is proposed to be used for Athletics along with the Opening and Closing ceremonies.[19]

The Queensland Government has also announced that, as a result of the Gabba demolition and rebuild, the heritage listed East Brisbane State School will be closed. East Brisbane State School is one of Brisbane's oldest state primary schools, and pre-dates the Gabba having been established in 1899 on the eastern-most end of the block of land that now includes the Gabba.

A cricket match between Australia and South Africa, December 2006

The Gabba in 2006–07 Ashes series

Test match between Australia and South Africa at the Gabba in November 2012

The Gabba is used from October to March for cricket and is home to the Queensland Cricket Association, the Queensland Cricketers Club and the Queensland Bulls cricket teams. The venue usually hosts the first test match of the season each November, in addition to a number of international one-day matches usually held in January. The pitch is usually fast and bouncy.

The Gabba's amenities were greatly improved in the 1980s from a very basic standard, especially in comparison with other Australian cricket grounds. Test cricket was first played at the ground in November 1931, when the first test of the series between Australia and South Africa was held there. In December 1960, Cricket's first-ever tied test took place at the ground, when Richie Benaud's Australian team tied with Frank Worrell's West Indian side. Queensland clinched its first-ever Sheffield Shield title with victory over South Australia in the final at the ground in March 1995.

The Gabba was the first Australian venue to host an international Twenty20 cricket match.[20]

In November 1968 Colin Milburn scored 243, including 181 in the two-hour afternoon session, in a Sheffield Shield match for Western Australia vs. Queensland.[21]

As of June 2023, Australia's Michael Clarke holds the record for the highest number of runs scored in one test innings at the Gabba with 259 not out, breaking the previous record set by Alastair Cook.[22]

Australia has a formidable test match record at the ground. In the 55 matches played there, Australia has won 33, drawn 13, tied 1 and lost 9. The last loss came on 19 January 2021 against India in the 4th and final test of the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar trophy.[23] India became the first Asian team to win a Test match at the Gabba.[24] This was Australia's first loss at the Gabba in 29 matches, and 32 years. England have a notoriously poor record at The Gabba, and have only won two test matches at the ground since the end of the Second World War. Many of their defeats have been heavy[25] and only seven England players have scored centuries at the ground.

On 15 December 2016, Australia hosted Pakistan for the first day-night Test at the Gabba,[26] and the first Australian day-night Test hosted outside the Adelaide Oval.

Panorama of the Gabba on the 2nd day of the 2006–07 Ashes series

Australian Football Premiership Finals at the Gabba, 1907

An Australian Football Match at the Gabba in 2008.

Brisbane Lions vs Sydney Swans at the Gabba looking east in 2019

The first VFL/AFL game at The Gabba was held on June 28, 1981 with Hawthorn hosting Essendon in front of 20,351 spectators.[27] Six years later, the Brisbane Bears were admitted into the VFL but would initially play their home games at Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast. The Brisbane Bears experimented with playing four matches at the Gabba in Brisbane in 1991, before moving all home matches to the venue ahead of the 1993 season. The Gabba was then the official home ground for the Brisbane Bears from 1993 to 1996 and since 1997 has been the home of the Brisbane Lions after the Bears merged with Fitzroy. The record crowd for an Australian rules football match is 37,473 between the Brisbane Lions and Richmond in the 2019 second qualifying final.[28]

Australian football has a long association with the ground. The Queensland Football League, a precursor to AFL Queensland played matches at the Gabba from 1905 to 1914, 1959 to 1971, and in the late 1970s and early 1980s. AFLQ matches resumed in 1993 as curtain-raiser events to AFL games, along with occasional AFLQ Grand Finals.

Interstate games, including the 1961 national carnival have also been played there, as was a demonstration game during the 1982 Commonwealth Games. In 1991 the Gabba was host to Queensland's only victory over a Victorian side.

The Gold Coast Suns have hosted games at the Gabba in 2011 and in 2018 due to the unavailability of their home ground Carrara Stadium because of redevelopment and the 2018 Commonwealth Games respectively.

During the 2020 AFL season, the Gabba hosted a greater number of home and away matches than usual, due to the temporary relocation of Victorian and other clubs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The venue was also selected to host the 2020 AFL Grand Final, with the Melbourne Cricket Ground not capable of hosting any spectators at the match. The Gabba thus became the first stadium outside the state of Victoria to host a VFL/AFL Grand Final, which Richmond won against Geelong by 12.9 (81) to 7.8 (50) in front of 29,707 people – just under the venue's temporary maximum capacity due to the pandemic.[29] Since the MCG began hosting VFL/AFL Grand Finals (VFL until 1989, AFL afterwards), only four other venues had done so: Princes Park (1942, 1943 and 1945), the St Kilda Cricket Ground (1944), Waverley Park (1991), and Optus Stadium (2021).

In the early 1900s, the Gabba hosted numerous matches between Australia and various touring nations.[30] During the 1950s and 1960s the Gabba hosted soccer matches for English first division and Scottish clubs including Blackpool FC, Everton FC, Manchester United and Heart of Midlothian F.C.[31] The Chinese and South African national teams also played at the ground. During the 2000 Summer Olympics, the Gabba hosted association football group games.[32]

On 8 May 1909, the first match of rugby league was played in Brisbane at the Gabba. Norths played against Souths before a handful of spectators at the ground.[33] Brisbane Rugby League games continued to be played occasionally at The Gabba until 1957.[34]

The Gabba hosted its first rugby league Test match on 26 June 1909, when Australia defeated New Zealand Māori 16–13.[35]

The Queensland Rugby league team hosted a match of the 1953 American All Stars tour of Australia and New Zealand at the Brisbane Cricket Ground.

The Kangaroos continued to play Tests at this venue until 1956, and a ground record crowd of 47,800 people saw Australia play Great Britain in 1954. From 1932 to 1959 the Gabba was also used to host interstate matches and International Rugby League Finals from 1909 – 1956.

Rugby League did not return to The Gabba until July 1, 2023, when the Brisbane Broncos moved their matches to the ground while their regular home ground Suncorp Stadium is unavailable due to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.[36] The first NRLW game at the ground was played on July 27, 2023 when the Brisbane Broncos took on the Gold Coast Titans as a curtain raiser to the Men's game between the Broncos vs the Sydney Roosters.

The Gabba hosted 11 rugby league test matches between 1912 and 1956.[37]

Date	Home team	Opponents	Result	Attendance	Part of
14 August 1909	Australia	Māori	16–13	8,000	1909 Māori tour
6 July 1912	Australia	New Zealand	13–10	8,000	1912 Trans-Tasman Test series
18 June 1932	Australia	The Lions	15–6	15,944	1932 Ashes series
4 July 1936	Australia	The Lions	7–12	29,486	1936 Ashes series
12 June 1948	Australia	New Zealand	13–4	23,014	1948 Trans-Tasman Test series
1 July 1950	Australia	Great Britain	15–3	35,000	1950 Ashes series
30 June 1951	Australia	France	23–11	35,000	1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand
28 June 1952	Australia	New Zealand	29–45	29,243	1952 Trans-Tasman Test series
9 July 1954	Australia	Great Britain	21–38	46,355	1954 Ashes series (All time Gabba attendance record)
2 July 1955	Australia	France	28–29	45,745	1955 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand[38]
23 June 1956	Australia	New Zealand	8–2	28,361	1956 Trans-Tasman Test series

The Gabba has hosted six rugby union Test matches.

Year	Home team	Result	Opponents	Crowd
1907	Australia	5-14	New Zealand	not known
1914	Australia	0-17	New Zealand	not known
1950	Australia	6-19	British and Irish Lions	not known
1951	Australia	6-16	New Zealand	not known
2001	Australia	13-29	British and Irish Lions	37,460
2002	Australia	38–27	South Africa	37,258

Greyhound racing was also conducted at the Gabba prior to the redevelopment.[39] Meetings were held during 1928 and again from 1972 until 1993.[40]

Most career wickets[47]

Wickets	Player	Period
68 (22 innings)	Shane Warne	1993–2006
65 (26 innings)	Glenn McGrath	1993–2006
46 (24 innings)	Nathan Lyon	2011–2022
42 (20 innings)	Mitchell Starc	2011–2022
40 (15 innings)	Craig McDermott	1985–1995

Most career wickets (non-Australia)[48]

Wickets	Player	Period
21 (6 innings)	Richard Hadlee	1980–1987
19 (6 innings)	Bob Willis	1974–1982
18 (9 innings)	Courtney Walsh	1984–2000
15 (6 innings)	Curtly Ambrose	1988–1996
14 (5 innings)	Chris Cairns	1993–2001
14 (4 innings)	Lance Gibbs	1968–1975

Best innings figures[49]

Figures	Player	Date
9/52 v. Australia	Richard Hadlee	8 Nov 1985
8/71 v. England	Shane Warne	25 Nov 1994
7/23 v. Pakistan	Shane Warne	9 Nov 1995
7/60 v. England	Keith Miller	29 Nov 1946
6/17 v. West Indies	Glenn McGrath	23 Nov 2000
6/23 v. Sri Lanka	Pat Cummins	24 Jan 2019
6/29 v. India	Ernie Toshack	28 Nov 1947
6/41 v. Australia	Bill Voce	4 Dec 1936
6/46 v. England	Jeff Thompson	29 Nov 1974
6/47 v. England	Geoff Lawson	26 Nov 1982

Note: best innings figures limited to 10; there have actually been 27 six-wicket innings hauls at the Gabba.

Best match figures[50]

Figures	Player	Date
15/123 v. Australia	Richard Hadlee	8 Nov 1985
11/31 v. India	Ernie Toshack	28 Nov 1947
11/77 v. Pakistan	Shane Warne	9 Nov 1995
11/110 v. England	Shane Warne	25 Nov 1994
11/134 v. England	Geoff Lawson	26 Nov 1982
11/222 v. West Indies	Alan Davidson	9 Dec 1960

Lowest strike rate (4+ innings)[51]

Strike rate	Player	Period
22.7 (20 wickets)	Ernie Toshack	1946–1947
32.4 (13 wickets)	Gubby Allen	1933–1936
34.5 (39 wickets)	Pat Cummins	2017–2022
37.9 (31 wickets)	Dennis Lillee	1974–1983
38.2 (17 wickets)	Stuart Clark	2006–2008

Highest partnerships[54]

Runs	Wicket	Players	Match	Date
329*	2nd	Alastair Cook (235*) & Jonathan Trott (135*)	England v. Australia	25 Nov 2010
307	6th	Michael Hussey (195) & Brad Haddin (136)	Australia v. England	25 Nov 2010
276	3rd	Don Bradman (187) & Lindsay Hassett (128)	Australia v. England	29 Nov 1946
272	2nd	Matthew Hayden (197) & Ricky Ponting (123)	Australia v. England	7 Nov 2002
269	1st	Michael Slater (169) & Greg Blewett (89)	Australia v. Pakistan	5 Nov 1999

Highest partnerships by wicket[55]

Runs	Wicket	Players	Match	Date
269	1st	Michael Slater (169) & Greg Blewett (89)	Australia v. Pakistan	5 Nov 1999
329*	2nd	Alastair Cook (235*) & Jonathan Trott (135*)	England v. Australia	25 Nov 2010
276	3rd	Don Bradman (187) & Lindsay Hassett (128)	Australia v. England	29 Nov 1946
259	4th	Michael Clarke (259*) & Ed Cowan (136)	Australia v. South Africa	9 Nov 2012
228	5th	Michael Clarke (259*) & Michael Hussey (100)	Australia v. South Africa	9 Nov 2012
307	6th	Michael Hussey (195) & Brad Haddin (136)	Australia v. England	25 Nov 2010
148	7th	Steve Smith (133) & Mitchell Johnson (88)	Australia v. India	17 Dec 2014
135	8th	Adam Gilchrist (118) & Brett Lee (61)	Australia v. New Zealand	8 Nov 2001
92	9th	Eddie Paynter (83) & Hedley Verity (23*)	England v. Australia	10 Feb 1933
114	10th	Glenn McGrath (61) & Jason Gillespie (54*)	Australia v. New Zealand	18 Nov 2004

All records correct as of 23 December 2022.

• Highest score: Brisbane Bears 33.21 (219) defeated Sydney 8.9 (57), 16 May 1993
• Lowest score: Sydney 3.8 (26) defeated by Richmond 4.10 (34), 12 July 2020
• Biggest margin: Brisbane Bears defeated Sydney, 162 points, 16 May 1993

Last updated: 1 October 2022.[57]