What better way to watch the first day of this year’s Ashes series than while relaxing in a pitch-side swimming pool?
Lucky punters attending summer’s first Test match at the Gabba in Brisbane had the chance to do just that after being invited onto the hugely popular Pool Deck.
Sunshine Coast cricket fans Roxanne Cambridge and Dana Landgren were among those selected to watch the action from inside the pool, enjoying the warm weather before rain hit early in the afternoon.
The Pool Deck debuted during last year’s day-night Test against Pakistan, with Olympic swimmer Stephanie Rice acting as the Gabba’s pool ambassador.
What better way to watch the first day of this year’s Ashes series than while relaxing in a pitch-side swimming pool?
Lucky punters attending summer’s first Test match at the Gabba in Brisbane had the chance to do just that after being invited onto the hugely popular Pool Deck
The Pool Deck debuted during last year’s day-night Test against Pakistan, with Olympic swimmer Stephanie Rice acting as the Gabba’s pool ambassador (pictured are Nathan Lyon fans in the pool)
The Pool Deck can hold up to 140 spectators, and more than ten times that number experienced the cricket from the pool last season.
This season has already seen a quartet of Nathan Lyon fans in salmon shirts and Nike headbands standing knee-deep in the water, and a man in a Bunning hat and swimmers with ‘budgie smuggler’ written on the back.
There were also kids wearing colourful buckets on their heads and girls in bikinis, while other poolside punters donned classic green and gold cork hats.
Sunshine Coast cricket fans Roxanne Cambridge and Dana Landgren (pictured) were among those selected to watch the action from inside the pool, enjoying the warm weather before rain hit early in the afternoon
The Pool Deck can hold up to 140 spectators, and more than ten times that number experienced the cricket from the pool last season
There were also kids wearing colourful buckets on their heads and girls in bikinis, while other poolside punters donned classic green and gold cork hats
England’s Barmy Army and Australia’s Bucketheads competed to see who could be the loudest in the stands, while sharp-eyed Pool Deck marshalls kept an eye out for those dressed for the beach.
One way to gain entry to the Pool Deck is by wearing beach attire and being selected from the crowd, with under-18s needing a parent or guardian.
There is also the selfie route, and punters who are ready for the pool can post their photos to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #cricketpooldeck.
This season has already seen a quartet of Nathan Lyon fans in salmon shirts and Nike headbands standing knee-deep in the water, and a man in a Bunning hat and swimmers with ‘budgie smuggler’ written on the back
England’s Barmy Army and Australia’s Bucketheads competed to see who could be the loudest in the stands, while sharp-eyed Pool Deck marshalls kept an eye out for those dressed for the beach
One way to gain entry to the Pool Deck is by wearing beach attire and being selected from the crowd, with under-18s needing a parent or guardian
There is also the selfie route, and punters who are ready for the pool can post their photos to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #cricketpooldeck
As the first Test got underway in Brisbane on Thursday delighted punters made their way into the pool, watching Alistair Cook and James Vince open the batting for England.
The Pool Deck is built at the bottom of one of the Gabba’s grandstands, with a clear screen separating the pool and the field.
The pool within is only a metre deep, and while some suggested the presence of women in bikinis could prove a distraction to the players, the installation was a huge hit last season.
As the first Test got underway in Brisbane on Thursday delighted punters made their way into the pool, watching Alistair Cook and James Vince open the batting for England
The Pool Deck is built at the bottom of one of the Gabba’s grandstands, with a clear screen separating the pool and the field