STEVE Smith has no recollection of the last time Australia lost a Test at the Gabba. You can't blame him ... he wasn't born.
The entire 26 years and 151 days of the new Australian captain's life has passed without a loss at the Gabba.
He arrived in the world on   June 2, 1989. His mother had fallen pregnant with him when Australia were spiralling to a nine-wicket loss at the Gabba in   November the previous year. Since then Australia has been unbeaten in 26 Gabba Tests, winning 18, most by landslide margins. 
It is a statistic that gives Smith comfort and encouragement as he becomes Australia's new full-time Test skipper.
"It is probably nice to play my first Test in charge at somewhere like the Gabba - it's a bit of a fortress for us in a way," he said. "We haven't lost there in 27 years so I guess going into that game you have to be a little bit confident. -Obviously New Zealand are going to be tough but knowing we have the Gabba first-up that will instil a bit of confidence in the group." So why is the Gabba so Australia-friendly? There is not one conspicuous reason but a combination of themes.
THE WARNE PHENOMENON Shane Warne's dam-busting Gabba -record was one of his greatest achievements and a key plank in Fortress Gabba.
On a ground where most leg--spinners see as much action as a spare tyre, Warne defied gravity to become the ground's leading Test wicket-taker with 68 wickets at 20. Some judges -believe that these numbers spell out his greatness more than any other statistic in his incredible Test record.
FIRST-TEST BLUES There's no doubt touring teams are still getting their bearings when they land in Brisbane for the first Test. You can see it in their faces.
In the old days they would often play a game against Queensland or visit a country port like Bundaberg but these days they hit town like a summer -thunder storm and are all the more vulnerable for failing to take their time.
One touring batsman who failed here put it town to his body clock being out of kilter and the sun rising in -Brisbane at 5am.
MASTER BLASTERS Since Australia first built a moat around the fortress in 1989 they have found a batting groove at the Gabba.
Australia has conceded a staggering 154 wickets less than their opposition in this time, averaging 48.3 runs per wicket lost compared to 25.8 by their rivals.
Australia had a long line of Gabba destroyers - Michael Clarke averaged 103 there, Ricky Ponting 63, Mark -Taylor 57, Matthew Hayden 53 and -Michael Slater 84.
THE WICKET The high-class Gabba wicket is like few others in world cricket. It seams. It -bounces. It can be slow then quicken up.
But most of all it is such a great contrast to the wickets which foreign teams get at home.It is as much Indian as a cheeseburger, as much West Indian as Holden. No wonder the tourists struggle.
THE PATIENCE GAME Rival fast bowlers tend to get overexcited when they see a grassy Gabba wicket. England, in particular, have fired off like a scatter gun and wasted many a decent deck by trying too hard to exploit it. But Australia normally kept their nerve.
That's why since 1989 they have 14 five-wicket hauls in Tests there to opponents' six. Glenn McGrath's 65 Gabba wickets at 21 were superb.
THE BOGYMAN Boo. There have been times when that was all Australian teams needed to say to opposing teams in Brisbane.Every touring team is aware of the Brisbane curse. There have been tours when Indian batsmen looking at green Gabba decks on match eve have resembled farmers walking through their decimated crops after a hailstorm.