Published: Jul 06, 2016, 02:34 PM (IST)
Edited: Jul 06, 2016, 02:34 PM (IST)
Australia‘s paceman Josh Hazlewood is keen to get the pink ball in hand during Australia’s day-night Tests this summer, despite previously voicing safety concerns over the ball’s use during twilight. The upcoming summer of Test cricket will include two day-night fixtures, the first against South Africa in Adelaide and another in the three-Test series opener with Pakistan at the Gabba in December. Hazlewood has been in terrific form for his national side in the recently concluded Tri-Nation series in West Indies, also featuring South Africa where he picked up 11 wickets and earned the Man of the Series award. ALSO READ:Josh Hazlewood’s fifer stirs Australia to victory against West Indies in Tri-Nation Series 2016 Final
According to Sydney Morning Herald, the 25-year-old said he got a lot out of the pink ball when it was first used in Adelaide last year. He stated, “I am pretty excited. Hopefully they leave the wicket the way they did last year and the ball nips around a little bit, it swung quite a fair bit, we saw, in those final sessions of each day. I am really looking forward to it again and the atmosphere in Adelaide was unbelievable”, added the young pacer.
In the lead-up to the first day-night Test in 2015, Hazlewood said the ball played more like the white ball used in limited-overs cricket, but said it only got better. “The pink ball is always improving. The ball is obviously the main thing and as long as they keep working hard and keep improving that day-night cricket is only going to get better”, replied the Aussie.
Hazlewood, who has not bowled with the pink ball since Australia played New Zealand in the new format last summer – instead “sticking to the red and white” – presumably wouldn’t be opposed to its use after taking nine wickets with it at an average of 15.11 over two innings. ALSO READ:Steven Smith: Australia might play 2 day-night Tests
Cricket Australia viewed Adelaide as a massive success for hosting the first ever Test match under lights, with 124,000 spectators attending over just three days of cricket, a welcome numbers in a world where the falling popularity of Test matches is a major concern.
