Cameron Green is relishing the chance to thwart England's veteran pace duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad even though he admits a lively Gabba green top would favour the tourists.
Both teams have now set up camp in Brisbane after the last of their Twenty20 World Cup players completed quarantine, although heavy rain has restricted them to indoor net sessions rather than the scheduled practice games.
With more rain forecast this week it's likely England will arrive at the Gabba next Wednesday with just 29 overs of centre wicket action under the belts, all of which captain Joe Root and stars Ben Stokes, Anderson and Broad watched from the clubhouse.
Stokes in particular is desperate for time in the middle, the allrounder only just back from mental health leave after his last game of cricket in July.
While that lack of preparation has been viewed as a disadvantage, the flip side is that a lively Gabba pitch awaits that, under grey skies, could have the English feeling right at home.
"Definitely; it's probably conditions they're used to, unfortunately, but we're well prepared too," Green said on Wednesday.
"There's always a bit of spice in it (the Gabba), the weather's been around and it's not going to be any better.
"But it's always pretty good cricket in conditions like that and it's great to face the best players in the world, a good challenge."
The 22-year-old allrounder is entering his second summer in the Test fray, showing plenty with the bat but going wicketless with the ball last summer.
Only used in short spells last season, he says he's more confident in his body having recovered from multiple back stress fractures.
And he's excited by the prospect of a batting alongside enterprising wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who is poised to replace Tim Paine.
West Australian Green will also take confidence from his previous efforts at the Gabba for the Warriors.
He burst onto the scene with unbeaten knocks of 87 and 121 to force a remarkable draw against the Bulls in the 2019/20 Sheffield Shield season, while amassing a career-best 251 against Queensland in their four-day match at the ground in March earlier this year.
And in his last innings at the ground, a one-day clash against the Bulls last month, he crashed 70 off just 55 balls in an innings that included five sixes.
