South Africa show reluctance to play day-night Test

The ‘Pink Ball Test’ scheduled for the upcoming Australian summer is under threat with South Africa refusing to play the day-night fixture. Cricket Australia is expected to announce the schedule for the home series against South Africa tomorrow (Wednesday).

The Day-Night Test (famously called as Pink ball Test) made its debut internationally when Australia and New Zealand locked horns at the Adelaide Oval. The much-anticipated contest was a great spectacle and was well received by the cricket fans.

The South Africans have expressed their concerns to play the innovative brand of cricket despite Cricket Australia offering them a tour match to prepare for the contest. Head of the South African players’ association, Tony Irish, says that the team is unlikely to accept the offer of the tour match.

“Our players are not in favor of playing the game under those conditions,” Irish told News Corp Australia.

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

A similar problem crept up during the inaugural Pink ball Test when New Zealand’s players expressed similar concerns. But, a $1 million prize pool which was promised to be split 60-40 between the winners and losers, offered by Cricket Australia took things further.

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