Adam Cooper
March 30, 2009 - 4:49PM
Australia is poised to be beaten by England in staging the world's first day-night Test match because Cricket Australia remains opposed to using a white ball.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is pressing ahead with plans to stage the first floodlit Test at Lord's next year, between England and Bangladesh.
Under the ECB's proposal, a white ball will be used, which means players will wear coloured kits to avoid the ball getting lost against the traditional white clothing.
CA is also keen to host day-night Tests in the future in a bid to boost attendances and television audiences, but cannot move on until a suitable ball has been found.
CA has commissioned the CSIRO to conduct research into finding a ball that can be easily seen at night - unlike the red ball - and retains a resistance to moisture from dew and grass stains.
Orange, yellow and pink balls have already been trialled with limited success, and CA has ruled out using the white ball in its current form because it discolours quickly in one-day matches.
"There's no quick or simple solution to this," a CA spokesman said on Monday.
CA is hopeful the CSIRO can come up with a suitable ball later this year, and expects to trial it in the Sheffield Shield before staging a day-night Test.
Coloured balls were used in Shield matches in the 1990s, but the concept did not last because the yellow and orange balls would lose colour and swing dramatically when affected by evening dew.
The ECB is also hopeful of developing a white ball to last longer.
The proposal, which has already upset traditionalists, is set to go before the International Cricket Council in May.
© 2009 AAP
March 30, 2009 - 4:49PM
Australia is poised to be beaten by England in staging the world's first day-night Test match because Cricket Australia remains opposed to using a white ball.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is pressing ahead with plans to stage the first floodlit Test at Lord's next year, between England and Bangladesh.
Under the ECB's proposal, a white ball will be used, which means players will wear coloured kits to avoid the ball getting lost against the traditional white clothing.
CA is also keen to host day-night Tests in the future in a bid to boost attendances and television audiences, but cannot move on until a suitable ball has been found.
CA has commissioned the CSIRO to conduct research into finding a ball that can be easily seen at night - unlike the red ball - and retains a resistance to moisture from dew and grass stains.
Orange, yellow and pink balls have already been trialled with limited success, and CA has ruled out using the white ball in its current form because it discolours quickly in one-day matches.
"There's no quick or simple solution to this," a CA spokesman said on Monday.
CA is hopeful the CSIRO can come up with a suitable ball later this year, and expects to trial it in the Sheffield Shield before staging a day-night Test.
Coloured balls were used in Shield matches in the 1990s, but the concept did not last because the yellow and orange balls would lose colour and swing dramatically when affected by evening dew.
The ECB is also hopeful of developing a white ball to last longer.
The proposal, which has already upset traditionalists, is set to go before the International Cricket Council in May.
© 2009 AAP
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