Cricket: Tickled pink by new ball idea

NZC's Lindsay Crocker.

New Zealand Cricket are not discounting the idea of a day-night pink ball test in this country but want to examine whether the concept would work well first.

The Black Caps are due to play a day-night test against Australia in Adelaide in November, when a pink ball will be used at international level for the first time.

Cricket Australia are pushing the idea, viewing it as a lever to raise interest (ie crowds and revenue). NZC have agreed and there seems a view among players that, whatever their personal feelings on the move, it's best to front foot the idea and make the most of it. Players were initially opposed to being used as guinea pigs in what is such an important test.

The New Zealand team will have a couple of days of open-wicket practice in Hamilton in the afternoon and evenings of October 7 and 8 using pink balls.

For both batsmen and bowlers, it will be a good chance to find out what variables the pink ball offers in afternoon, twilight and evening. NZC will also be keeping a close eye on proceedings.

"There's a whole range of things we need to look at," NZC's head of cricket Lindsay Crocker said. "I don't think the idea of a day-night test [in New Zealand] has ever been a dead duck."

Certainly if the Adelaide match proves to be a success, not so much in crowd attendances but in how the ball behaves for both batsmen and bowlers, it could move a step or three forward the idea of a night time test in New Zealand.

"It will be an interesting exercise to see if there is any differences with the pink ball," Crocker said. "If the Adelaide match is successful, then potentially who knows? It may be something we try down the track."

Crocker said a round or two of Plunket Shield with a pink ball would almost certainly take place first, but said it is too early to talk with any certainty about the idea of a test.

"Adelaide escalates it a wee bit, so we'll learn from that. If it's successful, why wouldn't we look at it as a potential option?

"But it's wrong to say we've got a match earmarked for a future day-night test. We're just trying to bring everything together to see whether it's possible for us as well."

Test offspinner Mark Craig has done some work with NZC's spin bowling expert Paul Wiseman and found little difference, from a spinners' perspective, between the pink and white ball used for limited-overs internationals.

"I find the white and pink balls are very good to grip," he said.

Cricket Australia have tweaked the hours of play for the Adelaide test to allow for the distraction of light and shade across the pitch.

The first session will run from 2pm-4pm, followed by a 20-minute tea break. The second session will be 4.20pm to 6.20pm, followed by the 40-minute meal break, with the final session running from 7-9pm.

During the World Cup final in Melbourne in late March, New Zealand's innings fell over at the twilight period when half the pitch was in shadow and half in bright light.

"The break in play coincides with that time when the pitch is half and half," Crocker said. "When you've got the ball coming from bright sunlight into shade, it makes it difficult [for the batsmen]. It's sensible stuff."