Cricket: Pace and bounce promised for the Gabba

Steve Smith of Australia and Brendon McCullum of New Zealand shake hands after a visit to the Brisbane War Memorial. Photo / Getty

Gabba curator Kevin Mitchell is promising the same mix of pace and bounce that pacemen have come to love in his pitches when the first Test between Australia and New Zealand starts on Thursday.

Mitchell predicted the first session on day one will be typically testing for whichever side is batting.

"There will be healthy bounce and that's what we're striving for, as much bounce and pace as we can get out of it," Mitchell told AAP.

"There will certainly be some life in it early and then I think it will just continue. There will be something there for the bowlers with the new ball for the rest of the match.

"Those really hot days last year buggered up the bowlers but the wicket was fairly typical. This will be very similar to that one."

The strip had more than a green tinge to it on Tuesday morning but Mitchell confirmed the grass would be trimmed soon.

"We'll cut that down a bit. We're just sort of watching the weather a little bit at the moment," he said.

"We'll cut it when we think there's not going to be too much cloud cover.

"Then it'll start to dry up and harden up pretty quickly."

Those words will be music to the ears of offspinners Nathan Lyon and Mark Craig, who have been largely overlooked in what is being billed as a pace shootout.

"I imagine they'll come into it, especially if we get some warm days," Mitchell said.

"That's the idea - a pitch where everyone gets a chance to show their wares."

Lyon's record at the venue is incredibly impressive - 20 wickets from four Tests at an average of 23.20 - while Craig suggested on Monday he can't wait to make use of the added bounce.

-AAP

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