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Day-night Tests need tweaking: Siddle

Difficulty seeing the seam of the pink ball isn’t the only factor holding Australian players back from embracing day-night cricket.

Dec 24, 2015, updated Dec 24, 2015
Australian bowler Peter Siddle reacts after dismissing West Indies batsman Jason Holder at Bellerive Oval. Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP.

Australian bowler Peter Siddle reacts after dismissing West Indies batsman Jason Holder at Bellerive Oval. Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP.

Cricket Australia (CA) is in the process of negotiating its 2016-17 home schedule with Pakistan and South Africa counterparts.

CA is keen to play a day-night Test against each nation next summer, with a potential season-opening blockbuster in Brisbane particularly attractive.

But players still harbour concerns about the concept.

Peter Siddle, the most experienced member of the incumbent XI with 59 Tests, detailed his disquiet.

“It was obviously an exciting venture and I think it was well received,” Siddle said.

“But from a cricket point of view it still does need a bit of work… there’s still got to be a lot changed before – if we go about having two games (in 2016-17), three games or whatever they might think of in the future.”

A green seam that both Australia and New Zealand batsmen struggled to pick up in last month’s historic fixture at Adelaide Oval is the chief concern.

Kookaburra is refining its pink pill, with CA having scheduled a day-night Sheffield Shield round in February to help.

The manufacturer is looking at using a black seam.

However, there is also the issue of how hard batting at night was when the ball swung freely under lights.

Siddle fears that post-dinner sessions will shape contests too much.

“You just don’t want the toss of the coin dictating too much in terms of how the game is played,” Siddle said.

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“The difference between day and night in terms of conditions was quite noticeable. You saw the loss of wickets at night and how hard it was to bat.

“It can sort of take away one side’s chances of winning. It can change that percentage a lot.”

Siddle added he is comfortable with a Test ending on day three, as was the case at Adelaide Oval.

“It’s just trying to even out the differences between day and night,” the 31-year-old said.

“Once that is worked out, it’ll be a lot more accommodating.”

Retired paceman Ryan Harris recently suggested it would be a mistake to schedule a day-night Test against South Africa, partly because it is such an important series for Australia.

“It should be a massive drawcard as is. It’s going to be a great battle against them so I’m sure people I’m sure people will be out in force to watch that,” Siddle said.

Siddle noted he is yet to discuss the issues at length with fellow players or Cricket Australia.

“Once the Test series is done we’ll sit down and talk a bit more about it. There will be a few more discussions then,” he said.

“It’s something we will all want to discuss in the future but at the moment we’re all focusing on this Test series against the West Indies.”

-AAP

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