Melbourne : Pink and orange balls are likely options for a day-night Test cricket while International Cricket Council (ICC) continues its search for the elusive orbs. Cricket Australia (CA) gave a bag full of pink and orange balls to ICC so it can decide on a suitable ball for night Tests. ICC says pink and orange balls have emerged as most likely options after testing in Australia, Pakistan & Abu Dhabi.
"Trials are aimed at determining sighting qualities of the different coloured balls during day, twilight and night conditions as well as their colour retention ability," an ICC spokesman told The Australian. "The tests are mostly positive with some reservations around batting in twilight period," he said. "On the face of it, it appears to make little difference as to whether the ball is pink or orange."
Inability to find a suitable ball is one of main reasons which have barred CA from staging lucrative night Tests in prime TV time. Night Tests need a coloured ball because red ones are too hard to see under lights and white balls can only be used with coloured clothing. Until now, ball manufacturers have had trouble making a coloured ball that keeps its shine and hue.PPI
