The introduction of two day-night Tests next Australian summer is great news for the game and for fans.
Why? Because day-night fixtures are tailor-made for creating lower-scoring, more evenly matched Tests in an era of boring runfests.
After last summer’s historic day-night Test against New Zealand in Adelaide, all the talk was of the great ratings, big crowds, the ‘spectacle’ of the new format and the way in which the later hours of play benefited fans.
Yet, to me, the biggest plus to come out of that Test was the exciting finish, something which has become incredibly rare in home Tests.
Of Australia’s six home Tests last summer, by far the most engaging was the Adelaide match, where batsmen were made to work for their runs due to the swinging pink ball and the green pitch produced to maintain the condition of that ball.
That match produced a thrilling finish, whereas the other five Tests for the summer were dreary, lopsided affairs on heinously flat tracks. Australian fans, even Test diehards like myself, have grown sick of these tedious affairs, where the bowlers are reduced to cannon fodder and the side batting first has a massive advantage.
Over the past six Australian summers, there have been only four ‘close’ results from a whopping 32 Tests. And in coming to this number I set very generous parameters for a result to qualify as ‘close’ – a margin of 100 runs or less, or five wickets or less.
Looking at those figures, it is extraordinary to think that, on average, an Australian fan had to watch eight home Tests before they saw a close result. Day-night matches are certain to throw up engaging results far more often than this.
While many fans bemoaned the fact that last summer’s pink ball Test was over inside three days, that truncated match offered greater fascination than the rest of the Test summer combined. For the moment, the pink Kookaburra does not maintain its condition nearly as well as the traditional red version.
This had the positive effect of forcing the Adelaide curator to prepare a green and moist pitch last summer, and the groundsmen at both Adelaide Oval and the Gabba will surely have to do so again next season.
Fairfax media yesterday reported that Cricket Australia was planning a major shakeup of the Test schedule for next summer, with day-night Tests in both Adelaide and Brisbane.
They reported that the Test summer would kick off at the WACA, with a Test against South Africa, before the Proteas later played under lights at Adelaide. Pakistan would play the other pink ball Test at the Gabba.
Already, those pink ball Tests are the ones I am most looking forward to. Australia, South Africa and Pakistan all boast fantastic pace batteries. It is very appealing to consider batsmen trying to combat the pink ball under lights against the likes of Dale Steyn, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Morne Morkel, Mohammad Amir, Kagiso Rabada, Wahab Riaz and James Pattinson.
Compare that to watching those gifted quicks being belted like club trundlers on the kind of featherbeds for which Australia has become infamous. I know which I’d rather watch, and I’m sure most cricket fans would agree.
As much as the spectacle, the big crowds and the convenient timing of day-night Tests, it’s their potential to create regular gripping matches which can help the longest format flourish.
Steve
Guest
Hahahaha, the idea that the indians will agree to play a test at the WACA ever again under any circumstance is laughable.
Steve
Guest
Imagine Ambrose on the 90s WACA pitch but at night and under lights, it'd be 10 for 1 instead of 7 for 1, pure carnage.
OJP
Guest
Thanks for the info on Irfan Ronan; certainly didnt realise he was 34
Jacko
Guest
Well said "the Bush". If he repeats the mistake then he will be out for life but he deserves a second chance like everyone else does. I watched him bowl in the recent one day series v NZ and I was very impressed. Im looking forward to him playing here this coming summer.
The Bush
Roar Guru
How could numbers be down on this summer? Surely Pakistan is a bigger draw card than the current Windies test side?
The Bush
Roar Guru
Then the tests can hardly be moved from the WACCA to a non-existent stadium...
The Bush
Roar Guru
Wow, Glad you don't influence a justice system or society generally Annoyedofit. Firstly, he's done his time and paid his punishment, everyone deserves a second chance if they've paid their dues. Should any one be allowed to play again after they break the rules? What about Warnie? Mark Waugh? Or is it only non-Australians? Secondly, anyone that honestly believes a 17 year old from the backwoods of Pakistan, thrust into international sport and surrounded by the influence of far older players, in one of the most corrupt sporting organisations in the world, was capable of making the right decision is deluded.
Niranjan Deodhar
Roar Pro
Without any doubt, day-night Test Cricket is the need of the hour. We need bums on the seats and we need lot of people turning up at venues to watch a Test match. And the highest probability of this happening is at that time when people are free and that is at night time. Why are T20's being played in front of jam-packed crowds? agreed it is just like a movie, three hours and the game is over but more importantly they are predominantly played in the evenings when lot of people can come to watch the match. In case of day-night Test matches, Dads can bring their kids at the stadium to watch the evening sessions after their offices. In this way, we can get full-houses witnessing the evening sessions of the Test matches. What more do you want to promote Test Cricket? Hosting day-night Test matches is more of a commercial decision taken in order to increase the viewership rather than a decision based on Cricketing logic. It is worth experimenting and hats off to Cricket Australia for leading the way.
Bakkies
Guest
I'm sure there is strong Pakistani communities on the east coast that will go to the matches.
Bakkies
Guest
The Gabba as it was against England in the Ashes was the perfect pitch. Offered assistance for both batsmen and bowlers. It's a pretty good pitch to bat on but if you bend your back like Harris and Johnson you will get plenty of kick in to the batsmen's ribs.
Annoyedofit
Guest
Speak for yourself. Most people see it as a disgrace that he's allowed to play again. Despite what many think, you should know the difference between right and wrong at 17
Bakkies
Guest
SA have few tests until the tour. In regards to the big three SA are doing their best to dismantle it and I support that 100%
Bakkies
Guest
Re England the spot fixing case had a lot to do with it. Pakistan disgraced themselves in a series that England allowed them to host on their grounds. Amir played in that series against Australia he was nigh unplayable and Pakistan bowled the boys out cheaply
Bakkies
Guest
About not winning? Utter bollocks this is not the under 8s. The ball and location is irrelevant. Nothing has changed Australia can't bat on seaming pitches. The techniques aren't good enough. SA have routed Australia home and away on pitches that offer movement. NZ bowled the team out for low scores in Adelaide on a pitch that offered movement, only the Marsh boys pulled finger with the bat to get the result. The next generation are spending the height of the Australian playing baseball for plastic teams. It ain't going to change
Paul D
Roar Guru
No chance, start of AFL season 2018 is scheduled completion date at this stage.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Amir is the one we all want to see let loose.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Paul D, No they haven't been out since the 2009/10 summer with that dodgy test match. By the sounds of what Ronan is saying, they haven't really toured anywhere since then if they haven't played outside Asia for three years...
The Bush
Roar Guru
Is that new Perth Stadium going to be finished by the Summer?
Tanami Mehmet
Guest
Next to Adelaide, I would have thought Perth would have the similar climate. Being less humid the conditions give bowlers some help but not too much. Higher humidity offers more swing but causes a dewy field as it gets dark and a wet ball means no swing. Maybe Brisbane would offer plenty for the bowlers early, nothing into the night and stretch the game into a 4th day. Still the WACA might be hard on the ball even with the extra grass on the wicket and square. But just imagine if they really did get some of the ol' pace and bounce out of a WACA green top. Could make for an entertaining two nights of cricket.
Paul D
Roar Guru
If we were prepared to give up our Boxing Day test to play in South Africa on Boxing Day the following year I'm sure it could be arranged... In other words, won't happen. Just one of those things.