THE day-night Test revolution endured a minor setback with pink balls replaced inside 20 overs during first-class games in Adelaide and Brisbane.
Cricket Australia is testing a revised pink ball with closed black seam that is supposed to be easier for batsmen and fielders to pick up.
However the new pink ball that marketers, CA and broadcasters desperately want to succeed suffered a glitch in the first session of South Australia’s Sheffield Shield clash against Victoria at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
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Indian umpire Nitin Menon and counterpart John Ward analysed the ball after 12.1 overs of Victoria’s first innings and called for a replacement. The ball was so out of shape that there was little debate over the need for a second ball. Umpires also replaced the pink ball 19.3 overs into Queensland’s clash with Tasmania at the Gabba.
Batsmen reported issues seeing the seam during the season-opening Shield pink ball trial between South Australia and New South Wales last October. New Zealand coach Mike Hesson complained about poor seam visibility and too much pitch grass cover following the visitors’ loss to Australia in the historic day-night Test last November.
Australian new ball pair Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are noted pink ball critics but 123,000 fans voted with their feet to watch the third Test between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide.
Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough had left 11mm of grass on the arena during the day/night Test. Six of the practice pitches either side of the one used had thick grass cover on day one of the SA v Victoria Shield clash which should have protected from abrasion this match.
Officials will note the red ball has experienced major condition issues this summer with around a dozen dud balls replaced in the second Test between Australia and New Zealand in Perth.
The Bushrangers declared their first innings at 9-325 in their top of the table clash with the Redbacks with Glenn Maxwell making 79, Travis Dean 60 and Rob Quiney 45. South Australia then lost two late wickets to finish at 2-42 at stumps.
