South African players reject Adelaide day-night Test

Quote:Australian cricket’s new jewel in the crown is under threat with South Africa’s players refusing to play a day-night Test in Adelaide this summer.

The stand-off is causing massive headaches for Cricket Australia which is planning to unveil the fixtures for the Test tours by Pakistan and South Africa tomorrow.

Last year’s inaugural day-night Test against New Zealand was considered a resounding success with record television ratings and attendances.

There were concerns, however, that the pink ball was difficult to see and a grassy pitch prepared to protect the ball caused the game to be finished inside three days.

The vast majority of Australian and New Zealand players complained after the match about the ball, its visibility and the changed conditions.

The South African senior players spoke directly to the Australians when they were there for a T20 series in May to gauge their feedback first-hand.

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South African players do not want to play the day-night match because they argue they have no experience with a pink ball or a five-day game under those conditions and will be at a disadvantage in an important series.

Their objections are being backed by their players’ association and board.

Australian players have played last year’s Test and a number of Sheffield Shield games with the pink ball under lights and are expected to have further exposure before the Adelaide game.

“Our players are not in favour of playing the game under those conditions,” South African players’ association chief executive Tony Irish told The Australian.

“The main reason is we feel disadvantaged. Not one of our players who will compete in that Test has played Test match cricket or any cricket with a pink ball.”

Cricket Australia is offering the South Africans a chance to play a day-night tour match to adapt to the conditions, but this has not satisfied the visitors who say that if reservations remained after the game it would be too late to withdraw from the Test.

“The reluctance to play is a sign of how much importance the South African players place on the series against Australia,” Irish said.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cr...39e993f626


While I can understand South Africa's reservations, aren't teams playing at home supposed to have an advantage? Is playing under lights with a pink ball more of a home field advantage than playing on a spinning deck in the subcontinent or the swing-friendly conditions in England?

I hear what you are saying about the home side that has an advantage, but I raise you the following, why should Australia have home field advantage and an added advantage of experience with the pink ball. I stand behind South Africa fully and also think they should leave test cricket as is. It is by far my favourite form of the games.

I  also stand behind South Africa, and I think  should leave test cricket as is. If they have no experience with a pink ball for visibility issues, for me, there is not advantage that could compensate that in the field.

Great point that you made. If the pitch is grassy at least it is grassy for both teams. The pink ball only benefits Australia.

Australia and this fascination with Pink

will have to reconsider.

I don't mind their fascination with the colour as it really started because of GM's wife that died of cancer. My fiance was diagnosed with phase 3 cervical cancer two years ago, so I say, let them have pink.

sorry to hear ....hope all will be well by the grace of god

Pink then should me upgraded to Neon ...

like those neon lights outside strip clubs ? 

[quote author=Noreht link=topic=103830.msg690291#msg690291 date=1461152963]
My fiance was diagnosed with phase 3 cervical cancer two years ago
[/quote]
thanks for sharing : My daughter's doctor advise her to have the HPV vaccine

I should urge her post haste !

Men 16 - 26  should also consider it.

[quote author=Noreht link=topic=103830.msg690291#msg690291 date=1461152963]
I don't mind their fascination with the colour as it really started because of GM's wife that died of cancer. My fiance was diagnosed with phase 3 cervical cancer two years ago, so I say, let them have pink.
[/quote]

A vaccine called Gardasil is used in my work environment for cervical cancer vaccination programme. Gardasil protects against the two types of HPV, between them responsible for more than 70% of cervical cancers in the UK. A bonus of using Gardasil to prevent cervical cancer is that it prevents genital warts too.

Hope the necessary measures have been taken and your fiancée is well.

Peace.

If the latest reports are to be believed, it appears as though the South African players have done a U-turn and will in fact play a day-night Test in Adelaide after all:

Quote:According to a report in The Herald Sun on Friday (June 3), South African players have "changed their stance on pink-ball cricket" to ensure there will be two day-night Tests in the upcoming Australian summer. South Africa had been reluctant to play in the day-night fixture because of ongoing concerns over visibility of the pink ball in twilight hours.

An official announcement from Cricket Australia (CA) is expected imminently. CA said discussions with Cricket South Africa were ongoing. "We remain optimistic that the Adelaide Test match will be played as a day-night match," a Cricket Australia spokesman was quoted as saying. "After the success of last summer's Adelaide Test, the anticipation in that market is huge."

The breakthrough means Adelaide Oval will stage a day-night Test in November (against South Africa) before another pink-ball match is played at the Gabba to open the three-Test series between Australia and Pakistan in December.

http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/803...lia-report