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Cricket’s first day/night Test will be played in Adelaide from November 27 to December 1, in an historic clash created to drive attendances and television ratings.
A pink ball that has been developed over a decade of research and trials will be used to ensure greater visibility for players and spectators.
Australia and New Zealand will continue to build on the increased rivalry created during a spectacular ICC Cricket World Cup when, as finalists, the teams played in front of a sell-out MCG crowd of more than 93,000.
Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said playing a day/night Test was all about the fans, allowing more to attend the newly developed, world class Adelaide Oval or watch on television, particularly in non-holiday periods.
“One of the global challenges with Test cricket is that most of the matches outside holiday periods are played on week days, in the middle of the day when people are at work and kids are at school,” Mr Sutherland said.
“By shifting the playing times each day’s play can go into the evening and allow people to come in after work or after school to attend the last few hours of play, but also when they get home in other parts of the world or other parts of the country, they can watch the game on TV.
“The Perth Test match is a great illustration of that. It’s fanatically watched on the eastern seaboard of Australia every year because of the time difference. Our television ratings are something like 40 per cent more for the whole country.”
Mr Sutherland is satisfied the pink ball has been developed to Test match standard and said both teams would have ample opportunity to practice and play lead-up matches under lights before the Test.
“We’re really confident with the work that’s been done over the past few years,” Mr Sutherland said. “We’ve had two successive seasons of Sheffield Shield cricket where pink balls have been trialled.
“We’ve worked very closely with the Australian Cricketers’ Association and Kookaburra in the development of the ball and its continued upgrade to make it ready.
“We’ll make sure that the players from both teams are well prepared.”
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