ICC president excited by first-ever day-night Test

Australia, New Zealand set to play in pink-ball clash later this week

DUBAI/PERTH: The president of cricket’s governing body hailed the concept of day-night Tests; just a few days before Australia play New Zealand in the first-ever such match.

Zaheer Abbas, president of the International Cricket Council (ICC), said he sees the idea of such matches as “thoroughly enlightened”.

“The sceptics and critics might call it a leap in the dark but I prefer to view the decision to play day-night Test cricket — a concept set to become reality when Australia plays New Zealand in Adelaide — as thoroughly enlightened,” Abbas wrote on the ICC website.

The fact that the Adelaide Test starting Friday will be the series decider — after Australia won the first Test in Brisbane while the second at Perth was drawn — will add to its attraction.



Abbas, a former Pakistani batting great, believes day-night Tests can give the public, whether working people or schoolchildren, the chance to watch or listen to the game at a time that suits them. “It is all about maintaining the relevance of Test cricket, a format I was brought up on and one I continue to cherish.”

However, he said success for day-night Tests would not usher in wholesale changes.

Boult expected to be fit

Paceman Trent Boult is on track to play the third Test, insisted team officials on Sunday.

The 26-year-old failed to bowl in this weekend’s day-night tour match against a Western Australia XI in Perth.

New Zealand assistant coach Craig McMillan had indicated that all members of the touring party would play some part in the two-day game.

But Boult, who suffered a stress-related injury to his back earlier this year and was underdone when the squad arrived in Australia, did not bowl an over.

“We’ll assess him over the next couple of days and he’s on track to be fit for the third Test,” said bowling coach Dimitri Mascarenhas. “He’s going okay as far as I know.”

If Boult is ruled out of Friday’s third Test, fellow left-armer Neil Wagner looks likely for a recall after taking 5-62 in the warm-up match. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd,  2015.

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