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The International Cricket Council introduced a trial on October 1 allowing pink balls to be used in daytime Test matches if both teams agree beforehand in order to reduce loss of play due to bad light, an ICC media release stated. According to a Nine.com.au report, Australia and South Africa did not opt for the pink ball in the Durban Test that commenced with a red ball. Only 221 of the 270 allotted overs were completed over the first three days of the match as poor light repeatedly forced early stumps.
Shaun Pollock expressed his view on the SuperSport broadcast that the teams should have considered the pink ball for the day game even if they avoided a day-night fixture. “I’m not saying for one moment that we should have used the pink ball and played a day-night game. I just believe we should have used the pink ball for the day game,” Pollock said. The Nine.com.au report detailed that the new rule requires any agreement on the pink ball to apply for the full duration of the match with no option to switch from a red ball once play has started.
The ICC media release outlined that the pink ball trial forms part of broader updates to playing conditions that also include penalties for batters wasting time and clarified fielding regulations. These changes apply to all international series starting on or after October 1 while ongoing series follow prior regulations, the release added. Nine.com.au reported that the Durban Test formed the opening match of a three-Test series between Australia and South Africa.
Bad light stoppages have affected multiple Test matches in South Africa in recent years according to historical match records compiled by the ICC. The pink ball has been used successfully in day-night Tests since its introduction in 2015 with visibility data from those fixtures supporting its potential in lower light conditions, ICC assessments have shown. Pollock’s comments came as the match progressed under traditional red ball conditions.
The Directorate of the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee chaired by Sourav Ganguly endorsed the series of playing condition updates that took effect this month, the ICC media release noted. Nine.com.au indicated that the rejection of the pink ball option in Durban has drawn attention to the practical application of the new trial in real match situations. Further Tests in the series will provide additional opportunities to assess the rule’s uptake among participating teams.
