The Gabba looks set to sign off its up-and-down summer with a strong one-day international crowd that could be pivotal to its chances of earning a prized pink-ball Test.
Brisbane was pilloried for poor crowds to start the 2015-16 Test summer against New Zealand, even if the eventual total of 53,572 represented an attendance record for Trans-Tasman red-ball cricket at the venue.
An unusually early start and the lack of drawing power of the tourists were given as reasons but rivals circling for Brisbane's Test, or spot in the schedule, were quick to suggest the fixture might be on the ropes and cricket on the nose with locals.
Yet consistently strong crowds for the Big Bash League's Brisbane Heat, despite a tough campaign, showed there was an appetite for entertaining cricket, which should be affirmed with a predicted 30,000-plus crowd for Friday's ODI against India.
That sort of number would be a major boost for the Gabba's chances of earning hosting rights for a day-night Test against the South Africans in November or early December.
The runaway success of the Adelaide Test has made any prospect of pink-ball cricket hot property and the race has already heated up between the states to try and cash in on the popularity of the new format.
Sydney has boldly suggested it should host not one, but two Tests, one early in the summer against South Africa (day-night) and then a traditional New Years contest against Pakistan.
That would appear highly unlikely but it also shows the degree of lobbying taking place as Cricket Australia begins to formulate one of the most-anticipated schedules for years.
CA would like to have its calendar released in the first quarter of this year but before that will undertake a review of the entire summer and its varying hits and misses.
The Adelaide Test blew the rest out of the water in terms of crowds and profile and it did not take long for other venues to put up their hand for a slice of the action, with the Gabba being one of the front-runners.
CA chief James Sutherland has already mentioned the ground as a potential day-night venue, while Queensland Cricket has also been actively pressing its case, even if former players such as Ryan Harris have questioned the notion given the difficulties of playing pink balls under lights.
The Gabba has enjoyed a good quality pitch and years of Australian dominance but playing a pink ball in humid, seaming conditions could be conducive to a swift finish to the match. Adelaide went for three days but was still hailed a sweeping success.
The Australians travelled to Brisbane on Wednesday and will train at the ground on Thursday, with in-form Bulls batsman Usman Khawaja joining the squad for the second of the five-match series.
