The dummy's guide to the pink ball test

The Black Caps look set to play another pink ball test. Picture / Getty Images

David Leggat with all you need to know about the pink ball day-night test.

Pink really is best
Research into developing the pink ball to first-class standard has been going on 10 years and, once it was determined pink was the best colour, there's been seven years of testing and tinkering. No ball has been studied, tweaked and adapted more than the pink one. Other colours were tested, including orange - which produced a comet-like trail on television - and green, which apparently was a no-go for those with colour blindness. Testing in England included firing balls out of a cannon into a wall to test durability. Different cuts of leather were trialled, and colours of stitching, from black to green, to white and back to green. By coating the balls with a chemical, the colour could be enhanced. Kookaburra went through 16 shades of pink to get the most suitable tint. Compared with the red and white balls, "in terms of bounce, in terms of hardness, all of those characteristics and performances, there is no difference in the performance of the [pink] ball," said Kookaburra managing director Brett Elliott.

Hard to pick the seam
Spinners like the pink ball because batsmen find it hard to pick up the seam. If they can't spot the seam clearly, it makes working out the revolutions on the ball difficult, therefore harder to play. They also feel the pink ball is easier to grip.

Help under lights
Among the imponderables about how the inaugural day-night test will play out, there is common consensus on one thing: the pink ball offers more help to the fast-medium bowlers under lights than during the day. In New Zealand's two-day match against a Western Australian XI in Perth last weekend, both seam attacks were certainly more potent at night.

Easy to spot
Television viewers won't have any issues spotting the ball. At Adelaide Oval, there may be problems for the naked eye as the ball leaves the bowler's hand and reaches the batsman, once it is about 30-40 overs old. New, it's fine. Also the ball shows up well running over the green outfield.

Square errors
Watch for fielding errors square of the wicket. The anecdotal evidence suggests the pink ball is harder to pick up coming off the bat flat and hard rather than an edge off a bat to slip or in the air to the outfield.

Tough times
The early overs with the new ball are likely to be critical. Once the shine has gone from the ball, on a pitch long renowned as the best batting strip in the country and against quality batsmen, the bowlers could be in for a tough few hours - before the twilight settles in.

Tactics to play a part
Expect fireworks when the second new ball is taken at night. There's even been suggestions Brendon McCullum and Steve Smith may employ tactical innovations to give their bowlers a chance to bowl in the final session - even if it means declaring early.

Ace hates pink
Australian speed spearhead Mitchell Starc hates the pink ball, yet he's been highly successful with it in Sheffield Shield cricket. If it is closer to the white ball than the red, his record in the Australian domestic one-day competition this season was outstanding - six games, 26 wickets at 8.12 each. With 17 bowled, it suggests piercing accuracy and penetration; Australia's pink ball ace, even if he'd rather be holding a red or white ball.

There's the rub
The traditional method of retaining colour on a red ball, rubbing it on a trouser leg, won't much help the pink ball keep its shine. It is harder to buff up. However, there's a theory that seam bowlers can get assistance if they can get some heat into the ball. So expect to see plenty of vigorous rubbing - just for different reasons than the red ball.

Longer lasting
The red ball had to be changed constantly in both Brisbane and Perth. The initial indications are the pink balls last better. So many elements need to work in this test. Having far fewer trips to the middle for the fourth official with a box of replacement balls will be a good start.