Make no mistake, Adelaide has been the scene of concerted pitch doctoring this week.
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The match has naturally delighted host broadcaster Channel Nine, as it offers a chance for test cricket to go into prime-time viewing.
“It does help me out a little bit but I still have to bowl well”.
Ahead of the inaugural day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval on Friday (November 27), Kohli lauded the two teams for agreeing to the experiment, despite reservation from several quarters.
While the day-night concept has been hailed as “thoroughly enlightened” by the new worldwide cricket chief, legendary Pakistan batsman Zaheer Abbas, it has its opponents.
The Black Caps, who remained in Perth until Monday because of a weekend practice match using the pink ball, are due to resume training on Wednesday. From the timeless Test to six-day matches to five-day games, Test cricket has survived several “modifications”.
Cricket Australia is looking to revive what it sees as the dwindling interest in the iconic longer form of the game by moving it to a day/night format which will, it hopes, will draw in bigger crowds and better broadcast audience numbers.
That, to me, is what day-night Test cricket is all about, giving the public, whether they be working people or schoolchildren – with both groups tied up during traditional Test match playing hours – the chance to watch or listen to the game at a time that suits them. For the most part, though, spectators have found it reliable, as have the players, particularly the fielders.
The Warriors batsmen who faced Black Caps duo Tim Southee and Doug Bracewell with the new ball on Saturday night benefited from the new ball being much easier to see than the 80-overs-old one it replaced, although that was offset by the amount it moved in the air. Allied to this is another reason, about which in a moment.
“But having a bit of a coarse, thatchy grass should hopefully, going on the two games we have had so far and the pink ball (Sheffield) Shield matches, it should be able to bite into that grass and get some spin”.
“That’s one thing that’s been very consistent over the past couple of years with the pink ball”.
Here, then, is where the ICC have missed the point.
“The stadium is designed as a multi-purpose facility and the technology that sits under the turf is the best in the world”, Chandler said.
Or approach it laterally. The Cricket World Cup is also played in One-day cricket format.
Trent Boult responded to a demand to prove his recovery from a back injury in fine fashion – by forcing his captain Brendon McCullum to swerve some well-directed bouncers in the nets while passing the first stage of a fitness test.
Asked whether he had major concerns about his availability or if he was confident Boult would play, Mike says: “I wouldn’t say I’m either, really”.
He said that cricketers should be willing to accept changes to increase attendances in test cricket although limited overs games are popular under lights.
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As for providing the greener deck to preserve the pink ball?
