AFP/Sydney


Australia opener David Warner has questioned why cricket chiefs seem intent on changing the format of Tests, revealing he is wary of fiddling with a concept that has been around for so long. Test cricket got a pulsating makeover as Australia claimed a thrilling three-wicket win over New Zealand in the first Test in the game’s 138-year history to be played under lights, and with a newly designed pink ball, at Adelaide last month.
While the crowds and broadcasters loved the experience, and rival skippers Steve Smith and Brendon McCullum were in unison about the success of the initiative, Warner is not so sure. “Why are we changing a game that has been around for a long, long time?” he told Sky Sports Radio, suggesting commercial interests were being prioritised over players, with talk also in recent weeks about playing four-day Tests to boost dwindling crowds.
“At the end of the day, we know what it’s about, we know why they’re trying to achieve this. At the end of the day it’s business and that is something the players have to embrace.”
A concern of some players at Adelaide was the luminous pink ball, which despite showing up well on television was not always easily visible for players. “We’ve got to tinker with that ball a bit more. The only disappointing thing from our point of view is that you’ve got to get the product right and if the product’s not right, it’s hard to go out there and play the game,” said Warner.
More pink-ball matches are planned after the success at Adelaide, with Cricket Australia keen to schedule day-night Tests when South Africa and Pakistan visit late next year.