Cricket: Testing times for pink ball

Tim Southee and Trent Boult. Photo / Getty Images

The pink ball has faced its share of discrimination since Australia and New Zealand agreed to play a day/night cricket test in Adelaide, but Black Caps pace bowlers Trent Boult and Tim Southee have vowed to embrace the floodlit opportunity.

Players get a two-day open-wicket practice in Hamilton next month and a two-day match under lights in Perth ahead of the November 27 test.

Questions remain over how it might affect colourblind players, whether the role of spinners will be depowered with less sun on the pitch, and how best to adapt to Australia's advantage of playing pink ball matches in the Sheffield Shield over the past two seasons.

The counter-argument is cricket has always adapted to change, be it covered pitches, protective gear or Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket.

The idea originally came from Cricket Australia to drive better crowds and television ratings with evening viewership both at home and in the lucrative Indian market. Twilight concerns could be masked by a tea or supper break.

An incentive for New Zealand Cricket has been the seven-year deal with CA. There is also a purse of $1 million for the test series, which is understood to be split 60/40 in a winning/losing ratio.

Southee and Boult's view represents a U-turn for players in general. Seventeen of last year's 20 contracted players answered 'no' to a survey question on whether they supported the introduction of day/night tests.

"Now it's confirmed we have to work out ways to train so we get a jump on the Aussies," Southee said. "It's tough because none of our grounds have lights in the nets but it's a chance to be part of history. We need to seize the initiative."

Boult was initially against the idea, pointing to "too many unknowns", but has echoed Southee.

"We are going into the unknown as to how much it will swing and seam but, now it's happening, I want to look forward to it. It could be a hit. The warm-up games are the most important part to get confidence.

New Zealand Cricket's head of cricket Lindsay Crocker addressed the scepticism.

"Most pink ball games will be two-thirds in daylight. The key thing is practising at the change of light.

"The match in Hamilton will be designed so batsmen can play against the best bowlers during those times. For instance, you wouldn't want Kane [Williamson] getting out first ball and that being his only chance.

"We don't have any suitable net facilities but I believe there are some in Queensland to practice under lights. However, we want to concentrate on the red ball until the end of the second test so we're not blurring things."