Australian players would prefer to play one day-night Test this summer
The Australian Cricketers’ Association claimed that players would “prefer” to play only one day-night Test this summer.
It has been confirmed that Australia will play a day-night Test against Pakistan at the Gabba in mid-December. Cricket Australia also remains "optimistic" that the third Test of the three-match series against South Africa in November would also be played with the pink ball at the Adelaide Oval.
The success of the inaugural day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide last year convinced CA to push for two Tests under lights this season. The inaugural day-night Test match drew a record crowd and television figures.
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However, ACA chief executive Alistair Nicholson today said that playing a Test with the pink Kookaburra ball was fundamentally different from other games and players would prefer to have just one such game this summer.
He said, "The feedback we are receiving from our playing group is that there still remains concerns over day-night Tests and whilst there is acknowledgement that this format may grow the game, at this stage the players would prefer to only play one day-night Test in 2016-17."
A CA spokesperson also added that the organisation is still optimistic to hold two day-night Tests this summer. He said, "Along with a number of other parties, the ACA is consulted each year prior to the summer schedule being announced and this year is no different. We remain optimistic that the Adelaide Test match will be played as a day-night match. After the success of last summer's Adelaide Test, the anticipation in that market is huge.”
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The spokesperson also said that the issue of the second day-night Test against South Africa is being discussed with Cricket South Africa, "Whilst discussions between ourselves and Cricket South Africa will continue, we don't expect material progress on this matter until after the IPL concludes."
Earlier this month CA chief executive James Sutherland said that the success of the first ever day-night Test is something very difficult to ignore, "I remain optimistic because I really believe that the big picture is too hard to argue with.There are literally tens of thousands of people that want to see this match played day-night and I don't think a handful of players who are objecting to that should necessarily be holding it back.”