'Adelaide ideal for day-night Tests just as England is not'
Wednesday 25 November 2015 17:35, UK
Test cricket isn't dying as a concept but it is true that certain venues around the world are struggling to attract fans and on that basis it's worth giving day-night Test cricket a go.
Albert Einstein defined 'insanity' as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, so this week's experiment in Adelaide shouldn't be dismissed simply because it's never been done before.
The key is trialling the idea in the right location - the warmer climates of the world, where people can come in after work and enjoy it. In that aspect, Adelaide is ideal just as England is not.
While we do get the odd lovely summer's evening that would be perfect for watching Test cricket, for the most part I'd fear for those fans who have paid good money only to sit wrapped in blankets - not much fun in a slow-burn session.
We want people leaving the ground thinking 'I got good value for money today'.
One of the principle arguments against day-night Tests is that conditions change under lights and that one side will have a distinct advantage over the other.
While there should always be a fair contest between bat and ball, the fact is that conditions change in Test cricket as it is - if you're batting there's a good chance the ball might be doing a bit more at 11am than it is at 3pm.
Some people also seem worried that the format and pink ball could distort batting and bowling statistics but those numbers are changing all the time anyway as the game evolves.
We shouldn't assume Test cricket is unpopular simply because we see empty grounds on television.
Take the India against South Africa series, for example - millions of Indian fans are following Virat Kohli and his team without going for any number of reasons, including the price of tickets.
But you can bet that they'll be following the action and it's the same with the recent Pakistan against England series in the UAE. There was no-one there but the interest around the Tests was huge.
Live Test Cricket
As that series showed, there's nothing more detrimental to Test cricket's future than a pitch that offers the bowlers nothing.
I'd rather have a result pitch that means a game finishes in three or four days than a boring five-day draw. This summer England left grass on the wicket and we saw Test cricket at its most exhilarating and entertaining best.
Watch coverage of the third Test between Australia and New Zealand live on Sky Sports 2 from 3.20am this Friday.
