Australia & Ashes 2017 - 2018 - Day 58 - 19th January

Day 58

Match day today.  Looking forward to the second ODI at the GABBA.  Got up early and showered before going down to reception to talk about best way to get to the GABBA.  After receiving all the information, I could have required I had a really nice breakfast in the restaurant overlooking the swimming pool.

After breakfast I got my stuff together and left the hotel and crossed the road to the Florida Gardens Tram stop, bought my ticket on the platform and got the next tram out to Helensvale. 

At Helensvale I got off and made the short walk to the station and tried to buy a ticket to a station near the GABBA but the guy in the ticket office gave me some useful information. If I showed my match ticket, all transport today was free. Amazing, and he told me to go to platform 2

I waited on the platform for a short time and then got on the train which was already quite crowded, but I managed to get a seat. After about an hour I got off the train and followed some people in Aussi gear to a bus stop and immediately caught a bus which after three stops arrived at the GABBA. How easy was that? And I was previously contemplating driving here. There were fleets of buses laid on for the cricket.

My first time at the GABBA and I was impressed.  Temperatures were already in the high 30s but my seat was completely in the shade and I have to say it was the best view I have ever had at a cricket match, Right next to the TV cameras behind the bowler’s arm. Thanks to Alfie for booking this for me.

The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as the Gabba, is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. The nickname Gabba derives from the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located

An absolutely fantastic cricket ground and it even boasted a swimming pool surrounded by tables beneath umbrellas if you were lucky enough to be chosen to use the facilities

A really exciting match ensued and after six hours England emerged victorious to go 2-nil up in the series.  Not without a few anxious moments along the way though. Thought Joe Root and Alex Hales were great today.

With the match over I found myself outside in a swarm of people unsure of which way to go so I stopped to speak to some Australian supporters who pointed me in the right direction. I then made my way home in the exact reverse of my journey here and got back to the hotel just after midnight.