It has been the scene of triumph and disaster on recent Ashes tours, but England seemed pleased to be back at the Adelaide Oval as they prepared for the latest warm-up match.
Joe Root’s team are in town to play a Cricket Australia XI in a pink-ball warm-up under the floodlights on Wednesday as the countdown continues to the first Test in Brisbane on November 23.
England trained at the stadium on Tuesday, following their customary game of football with an intense net session and some crucial batting and bowling practice.
England captain Joe Root celebrates scoring a goal during their pre-training game of football
England batsman Mark Stoneman athletically controls the ball during the customary kickabout
Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes compete for the ball as England trained in Adelaide
The Melbourne Cup horse racing is shown on the big screen at the Adelaide Oval
The likes of Alastair Cook, James Anderson and Stuart Broad will have mixed memories of the Oval, having experienced both joy and pain there on previous tours.
Back in 2010, Cook hit a majestic 148 as England scored 620 for five declared en route to victory by an innings and 71 runs and an eventual 3-1 series triumph.
But in 2013, the then-England captain scored just four runs across both innings, and the bowlers were made to toil, as Australia won handsomely by 218 runs on their way to a 5-0 whitewash.
Woakes tries to turn Broad during the hotly-contested football match before training
Joe Root plays the ball between Stuart Broad’s legs during England’s football match
Alastair Cook, James Anderson and Moeen Ali chat during Tuesday’s net session in Adelaide
Alastair Cook has both good and bad memories of the Adelaide Oval from previous tours
Fast bowlers Stuart Broad and James Anderson have a discussion during training
Moeen Ali holds his side during a conversation with coach Trevor Bayliss – the injury could yet rule him out of the start of the Ashes series
With the Adelaide Test, between December 2-6, a day-night affair, England will get valuable pink ball practice over the coming days and try and build on the foundations laid during their first warm-up in Perth over the weekend.
After that, they have just one more practice match to get everything right – against a Cricket Australia XI in Townsville next week – before the first duel in Brisbane.
Meanwhile, leg-spinner Mason Crane has declared himself ready for the Ashes challenge after bowling well in the opening warm-up against Western Australia in Perth.
The 20-year-old Hampshire bowler will prepare as if he will play in Brisbane with concerns lingering over Moeen Ali’s side strain.
‘Absolutely. I’m ready,’ he said. ‘I’m very confident I could do a job if called upon. I probably wouldn’t be here if other people didn’t think so either.
‘Mo’s injury just shows that I have to prepare for every game like I’m going to play. If it looks like a one-spinner pitch, then you never know.’
Stuart Broad shies at the stumps during England’s practice session in Adelaide
James Anderson dives to take a catch during Tuesday’s net session in South Australia
Stuart Broad takes a catch as England gained some practice with the pink ball in Adelaide
Broad speaks to the media at the Adelaide Oval ahead of England’s second warm-up match