Chris Stocks braves the pre match hype to witness a surprisingly muted opening day at the ‘Gabbatoir’

Starc contrast: Aussie paceman Mitchell Starc failed to electrify the Brisbane crowd as Mitchell Johnson had done in the last Ashes Test at the ground
PICTURE: Getty Images

It started on the way to the Gabba, the Uber driver picking up on my English accent within seconds and remarking: “Your guys are going to get smashed.”
Welcome to the Ashes in Australia.
The sledging had actually started over breakfast, with the front page of Brisbane’s Courier Mail ta...