England captain Alastair Cook cool on day-night Test matches
Opening batsman not convinced about the quality of the pink ball
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Your support makes all the difference.Alastair Cook does not believe the Ashes needs day-night Tests and feels that more work should be done on the pink ball before such matches become regular occurrences.
It was announced on Wednesday that Adelaide is to host its second day-night Test during the series with South Africa later this year but although the England captain Cook accepts it brings in the punters, he is not convinced.
“My general view of day-night cricket is that it is something the ICC need to keep looking at because it is a way of keeping the game moving with the times and getting more spectators in,” Cook said. “The biggest problem I have is with the quality of the pink ball. It doesn’t seem to behave the same way as the red ball does. I have no idea why.
“One of the great things about Test cricket is that ball - sometimes it swings conventionally, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it reverses. It fluctuates through the game. During my two experiences of using the pink ball it didn’t do any of that and then it nipped all over in the twilight. I don't know if that was because I was in Abu Dhabi or a wet Chelmsford. The quality of the ball is vital for day-night cricket.”
One of the great things about Test cricket is that ball - sometimes it swings conventionally, sometimes it doesn’t. During my two experiences of using the pink ball it didn’t do any of that
Cook also feels Australia-England matches are popular enough without the pink ball. “I don’t think Ashes cricket needs day-night Tests,” he said on the eve of his side taking on Sri Lanka at Lord's in the third Test. “A lot of the games have really good attendances. It’s not a series where you need to do it at this precise moment in time.”
Australia captain Steve Smith agrees with Cook and does not think the Ashes needs altering to attract better crowds or ratings. He told cricket.com.au: “The crowds and the viewers for the regular Ashes Test matches are pretty good. My personal preference probably would be [to keep the Ashes to day-only Tests].
“I think it works pretty well with the red ball. It's been around for years and I think playing against England we always get the viewers and the crowds out. So I don't think there is any issue there.”
The first day-night Test in Adelaide between Australia and New Zealand last November was a resounding success in terms of bums on seats and viewing figures although players were not convinced.
Australia won the match inside three days and there was increased revenue and television ratings. Cricket Australia had already confirmed another day-night contest against Pakistan in December at Brisbane and has now announced November's third Test against the Proteas will also be played with the pink ball.
James Sutherland, Cricket Australia's chief executive, said: “Nearly 124,000 people attended the inaugural day-night Test match in Adelaide last year and there has been great anticipation about future day-night Tests since. It's wonderful that the next one in Australia will be against South Africa. This announcement will further fuel the excitement about what promises to be a fascinating series between formidable rivals.”
Cricket South Africa chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, admitted there had been hesitations to agree to a day-night Test but the Proteas will play two two-day tour matches under lights to acclimatise to the conditions with the pink ball.
He said: “Our Proteas were initially hesitant to play such a key Test match without previous experience and adequate preparation but after working through all their concerns and possible options to prepare sufficiently, there is new-found excitement for this novel Test match. Our players deserve credit for the way they have worked through the issues which were clearly not insignificant.”
Sutherland said in April that a floodlit Ashes match in 2017-18 is a “distinct possibility”.
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