SYDNEY (AP) — Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland predicts day-night tests could become an "established tradition" on the sport's international calendar, including for the Ashes series in 2017-18.
Australia won the first ever day-night test match last November in a low-scoring but tight three-day match against New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval. The match was a ratings success on TV and attracted big crowds at the venue.
"The Adelaide test last year against New Zealand was clearly an unmitigated success," Sutherland told reporters during a rain-delayed third day of the test between Australia and the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground. "It was proof of concept and I think it sent a message around the world as to the future of test cricket lies partly in playing day-night test cricket — not wholly but in the right place at the right time and the right conditions."
A security guard stands on the field at the Sydney Cricket Ground as play is abandoned due to inclement weather during a cricket test match between Australia and the West Indies in Sydney, Australian, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016.(AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
Players and officials are seeking refinements of the experimental pink ball — a hybrid between the traditional red ball used in test cricket and the white ball used on limited-overs internationals — to make for a more even contest after batsmen complained of not being able to consistently see the seam in Adelaide.
Other cricket boards, including New Zealand, are weighing up the idea of hosting a day-night test.
Sutherland is pushing for a day-night test at home against either South Africa or Pakistan in the next Australian summer, and traditional test venues are lining up to bid for the rights.
"We will be actively pursuing at least one day-night test with ... South Africa and Pakistan, and I guess on the assumption that we do play a day-night test next summer or two that we will progress that further and it will be more of a fixture in our calendar. Needless to say the summer after that is an Ashes series and probably that just established tradition will continue."
With England touring Australia for the 2017-18 Ashes series, Sutherland indicated informal discussions had already taken place with the England and Wales Cricket Board about the concept.
"Only (discussed) in passing, nothing official," Sutherland said. "And to be honest it's a long way off but I know that the chairman and chief executive of the ECB are very progressive in their thinking about the game and with CEO Tom Harrison's background in the media he'll certainly understand growing the popularity of the game is the first and foremost in our minds as cricket administrators."
West Indies batsman Carlos Brathwaite walks off the field after he was bowled out during their cricket test match against Australia in Sydney, Australia, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016.(AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
Australia's Joe Burns center is congratulated by teammates after catching out West Indies batsman Jason Holder during their cricket test match in Sydney, Australian, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016. Brathwaite's wicket was Lyon's 100 test wicket.(AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
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