Former England cricket captain Nasser Hussain's notoriously difficult relationship with Brisbane's famous Gabba ground took a fresh and farcical turn on the opening day of the second Ashes Test. The Sky Sports pundit was initially refused entry to the venue, only to be swiftly evacuated moments later due to a fire alarm.
Accreditation Chaos at the Gate
Hussain, who is in Australia as part of the Sky Sports broadcast team, arrived at the ground with fellow commentator and ex-England skipper Michael Atherton. To his astonishment, ground staff would not allow him entry despite him presenting his official accreditation. The 57-year-old revealed he was left waiting for around half an hour before Cricket Australia officials intervened to resolve the pass issue.
"They wouldn't let me in. I mean for everything I've done for Australian cricket, at this particular ground (I couldn't believe it)," Hussain told Sky Sports. However, his relief was short-lived.
From Let In to Kicked Out
In a twist of misfortune, Hussain's dramas were far from over. He explained to Atherton that almost immediately after finally gaining access, the entire ground was evacuated. "The moment I got in, we all got kicked out again. There was a fire alarm and fire engines and everything," he said. The incident adds another bizarre layer to Hussain's long and often painful history with the Brisbane venue, spanning both his playing and broadcasting careers.
A Venue of Historic Pain for England
Hussain's most infamous memory at The Gabba remains the 2002 Ashes Test, where his decision to bowl first after winning the toss in scorching heat backfired spectacularly. Australia amassed a mammoth first-innings total and secured a dominant victory, a moment still recalled with amusement by Australian fans and anguish by England supporters.
The venue continues to be a fortress for Australia and a house of horrors for England. England has not won a Test match in Brisbane since 1986, a daunting record they aimed to challenge in this day/night clash. The tourists were widely tipped to struggle, largely due to their inexperience in pink-ball cricket. Australia's formidable record in home day/night Tests, having won 12 of 13, only added to the uphill battle facing the visiting side.
