­Aussie players don’t want two day-night Tests in 2016-17

SYDNEY: Cricket Australia has struck another obstacle in its plans to play back-to-back day-night Tests next summer, with Australia’s players arguing that one is sufficient.

The final Test of the summer’s first series against South Africa will be a day-night fixture in Adelaide if CA can convince the players of both sides to agree, while the first Test of the second series will be a day-nighter against Pakistan at the Gabba.

South Africa’s cricketers have expressed their concerns about playing under lights with a pink ball, and the Australian Cricketers’ Association has now also raised queries about the wisdom of playing two day-night Tests in the summer. Alistair Nicholson, the ACA CEO, met with Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland on Thursday, and a wider meeting involving the players is expected to take place after the IPL.

“The recent media regarding whether South Africa will or won’t play a day-night Test is only one part of the equation,” Nicholson said. “There are many other factors to be considered. The feedback we are receiving from our playing group is that there still remain 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.

“Pink-ball Tests are a fundamentally different game to traditional red-ball Test matches. We continue to be concerned about the durability and visibility of the pink ball, both the changing light conditions and the specifically prepared pitches are altering the conditions that the players are used to at each venue.”