Gabba pitch curator Kevin Mitchell says his wicket will have definite green tinge for Ashes Test captain Michael Clarke believes you can't get anywhere being selfish whilst quick James Pattinson gives credit to coach Darren Lehmann THIS is the kind of picture that was outlawed in England before the recent Ashes. England's curators were banned from putting any moisture in their pitches and the only watering they received was when players urinated on The Oval surface to celebrate their Ashes triumph. But the Pommy batsmen better prepare for a watery grave Down Under. The sight of funloving curator Kevin Mitchell chortling as he hosed down the Gabba pitch on Wednesday should give our arch cricket enemy a sign of what to expect. There will be no dry Australian pitches to suit the world's best spinner Graeme Swann and help Jimmy Anderson and Co produce their beloved reverse swing. "They are a sad bunch, the Poms," Mitchell laughed. If they bat here on the first day, it will be pretty different to the pitches they got over in England. It's a bit strange what they did over there, but maybe the fact they had a dry summer helped that. The Gabba pitch will definitely have a green tinge on the first day, I'll be doing a bit of watering. It's going to be important to take wickets with the new ball. Mitchell says England should expect some grass on his Gabba deck. Liam Kidston. The Poms will have to cop what they cop in Australia this summer given their habit of shamelessly doctoring their home pitches. In 2009, Oval curator Bill Gordon even gave a false name to avoid explaining why his pitch was in such diabolical condition. With Australia losing 10-87 as 15 wickets tumbled on the second day, former Test greats questioned if the dry and dodgy pitch had been doctored to aid England's Ashes campaign. But the eccentric recluse known for not giving media interviews claimed he was a man named "John" and then went into hiding. The good news for Mitchell is that the recently renovated Gabba ground, complete with a brand new grass covering, is now likely to have a match before the first Ashes Test. A Sheffield Shield game between Queensland and NSW starting on November 13, originally scheduled for Allan Border Field at Albion, is set to be moved to the Gabba ahead of the Test starting on November 21. "It's not confirmed, but Queensland and NSW will more than likely play that Shield game at the Gabba," Mitchell said. Australia's Ashes campaign could face a huge setback with captain Michael Clarke no guarantee to start the first Test. "The renovations at the ground have gone very well and that game will give us a bit of a run before the Test match," he said. Meanwhile, England's former captain and new MCC boss Mike Gatting has laughed off suggestions that England should be braced for an Australia backlash. What are they going to backlash us with? Gatting said. Have they found another Shane Warne or a Glenn McGrath? If the two teams are pretty much the same, I wouldn't expect the result to be any different.