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SELECT 👉 Hagley Oval feed
Healy: Why the Brisbane Test was my favourite to play
Ian Healy • December 3rd, 2025 9:35 am
I thought I'd try to explain today why Brisbane was my favourite Test to play.
Even though this one's not the first Test of the series, the preparation time has been plentiful for heaps of batting work with the local coaches before the team assembled, and that's what did it for me.
Two of my hundreds were at Brisbane because I'd done a lot of work being at home base, working tirelessly on all sorts of my mechanics, which drifted away as the season went on.
When the team arrived, our meetings were exciting, the new merch was good, and your early plans became very, very clear.
The local blokes stayed at home if they wanted to, or if they wanted to go into the hotels they could.
I used to stay at home and travel to and from the hotel, which kept things exciting and fresh.
The practice wickets are steamy, the media throng was massive, and the practice wickets are very good at resembling the middle to a tee. So, the practice you're doing is valuable for what you're going to need in the middle.
I joined the team some nights for a restaurant feed to maintain that cohesion, which touring teams develop very well.
The outfield was outstanding. You just wanted to lie on it, stretch on it and warm up on it. It’s just outstanding.
They're sweaty warm-ups, but a delight for exercise. Run-throughs, fielding drills, keeping practice and of course, the keeper has balls hit at you, and then you keep to the bowlers who want a last-minute roll.
The anticipation of the toss is huge. Batting first is fraught with danger because in the first two or three hours, you can be four wickets down at times. You've just got to really concentrate at the top of the order.
By mid-afternoon on Day 1, the pitch is an absolute delight.
Sometimes it can be a good toss to lose, like that one with Nasser Hussain. The visitors can make the wrong decision.
It's all possible, so experience in these conditions is important.
The crowd are always on the local side. They're very parochial, which is great. That makes it busy but fun.
There have been a few flat sessions in this Test in the last 35 years, which means conditions suit everyone at some stage.
That’s batsmen, bowlers, fast bowlers, and spin bowlers, so it’s a wicket which is versatile and helps every facet of play.
At the end of 5 days, plenty of teammates usually have achieved success because of the wicket's trustworthiness, such as centurions, five-wicket innings for bowlers, catchers behind the wicket and spinners who get it done.
Then there are the beers which are well deserved after training days and five playing ones. That’s a great feeling shared with the opposition as well.
Can Brisbane do it again in 2025? I expect a tick.
