Curator promises pace, bounce and Gabba like conditions for Mackay's maiden Test

Mackay's Great Barrier Reef Arena will host its first-ever Test on Saturday, and curator Peter Kazakoff has offered a clear hint of what awaits Bangladesh and Australia: a seam-friendly surface with genuine bounce, drawing comparisons to conditions at the Gabba.

Kazakoff learned his trade over 17 years at the Gabba, starting out as a schoolboy manning rain sheets before being taken on full time by long-serving Brisbane curator Kevin Mitchell Junior.

He has since carried those traditional methods to Mackay, relying on heavy clay soil renowned for producing reliable pace and carry.

"That is basically what we are trying to ensure, extra bounce. There will be plenty of pace in the wicket and the ball will come onto the bat very well. It has a lot of similarities with the soil quality at the Gabba. Hopefully, it will behave in a similar way as well," Kazakoff told reporters.

He expects the pitch to test batters early before easing considerably once the new ball loses its hardness.

"In my opinion, the wicket will be pace-friendly. But it is a new-ball wicket. Once you get through the new ball, there will be a great opportunity to score runs in the second and third sessions of the first day. Hopefully, the spinners will also be able to play a role towards the end of the match."

Only three first-class matches have been staged at the venue in the past decade, none of them at this time of year, which Kazakoff believes works in the seamers' favour given the cooler conditions typical of a Queensland winter.

"Those first-class games were a bit later in the year when it was a bit warmer. It's a lot cooler this time of year, so the moisture will come out of the wicket less, and slower."

Wind is expected to be a significant factor too, with the ground's coastal location likely to generate swing throughout the match.

"Because it is close to the sea, it is naturally a little windier here. At the moment, the wind is even stronger. I expect there will be strong winds blowing from one side of the ground to the other throughout the match," Kazakoff said.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto echoed that assessment after training in Mackay, suggesting the conditions could hand his own seam attack an advantage if used well.

"The bowlers will definitely get help because of the wind, they may get some swing. If the bowlers can make use of the wind, there will certainly be a good opportunity for them."

Australia, still searching for clues on an unfamiliar surface, turned to footage of an Australia A versus India A match played at the venue two years ago, in which Brendan Doggett claimed six wickets on a lively opening day before the hosts chased down 225 in the fourth innings.

India's Manav Suthar, since capped in Tests, had limited impact with the ball in that contest.

Australia captain Pat Cummins was cautious about drawing too much from the comparison given the gap in time.

"It felt like batting got easier as the match went on. But that was two years ago. We are considering it as information, but it is not the only reason for selecting the XI. It's largely conditions based."

Australia have named their side for the Test, resisting the temptation to leave out Nathan Lyon despite briefly considering an all-pace attack featuring Scott Boland given the milder Queensland winter.

Matthew Renshaw returns as the only change from Darwin, coming in for the axed Jake Weatherald and reclaiming the opening role he first occupied as a 20 year old against Pakistan in 2016-17.

For Bangladesh, Shanto said the squad had settled into noticeably different conditions from Darwin across two days of training.

"The preparation has been good. The weather is a little different. It is a little colder compared with there, and there is also more wind. But I think everyone got a fairly good idea through two days of training."

He was also upbeat about left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam, hopeful the seamer could play an effective role in the XI having worked his way back to full fitness during the tour.