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SECRET CRICKETER - Day/Night Tests and the Pink Ball here to stay, but cancellation of toss in county cricket could have consequences

Our Secret Cricketer likes what he saw in the first-ever Day/Night test match. But at the same, he fears the cancellation of the toss in county cricket could result in significant consequences.

Day night Test cricket is here. Pink cricket ball is here. Spectators were there.

At the end of Day One I loved what I saw. What a spectacle. And not just was it a spectacle, it was good entertaining cricket.

It was Test cricket. It just had a little bit of makeup on and was heading for a night out.

Not much happens in Adelaide, but history was made on Friday. The Australia v New Zealand Test has broken down two barriers that have been seen, and still seen by some, as sacrosanct; a change of playing times and a change of ball.

What came first, the Day/Night Test or the Pink ball? Without one, the other was not possible.

The big issue I had before the Test started was the durability of the pink ball. Over the last few years there has only been a handful of First Class fixtures played with this variation of ball and there has not been a lot of positive feedback garnered.

The ball, and it’s colour, was basically eaten up by the pitch and block and left dull, chewed up, soft, and not too far off it’s red relation in hue by the end of it’s 80-over life. So they had to fix that.

Leave more grass on the pitch and make sure there are no used pitches next door. Problem solved. And the ball held up and at the end of the first day of Test cricket the ball was left in appropriate condition. I will wait, still, with some scepticism on how the ball will hold up once some of the grass has been worn off the pitch.

This limits the grounds that can host Day/Night Test cricket. Grassy drop in pitches with lush surrounds, grounds where dew isn’t an issue, and venues that are close to walk up crowds.

It was interesting to note that both captains, even with the grassy surface, wanted to bat first in the Test. Win the toss, bat first; with the idea in mind that if the batting goes poorly, they’d get a chance to have a bowl under lights.

And that toss is possibly a vulnerable beast. English county cricket has just ditched the toss with the desired end result being better pitches and spinners having a larger role. The away captain gets to choose if he wants to bowl first. If.

I like the idea. I like innovation that could lead to better cricket played and better players playing.

The logic behind the decision means that a home team can’t prepare a pitch just to suit them, or to give them some chance of beating a superior team by playing on an equaliser, a lush green pitch.

The reality behind the decision is that it could be the end of the 72mph dibbly-dobbly, which isn’t a bad thing. County cricket is about finding and producing international cricketers. Some of the pitches played on that these guys are taking wickets on are such a long way away from what international cricket is played on. There is almost no correlation.

I’ve played in domestic games where a current international spinner was overlooked on the playing 11, for an extra medium pacer, because of the pitch that was prepared. It was frustrating for him (many expletives and items thrown in the changing room, and rightly so) as he was missing out on playing, missing out on continued development and also, at the time, missing out on a match payment.

Another possible issue is what if a pitch is prepared so lush, either deliberately, or because of poor weather leading up to the match, that even on day two it’s still a bowl first pitch.

And then what about the pitch that is prepared perfectly. A great wicket for great cricket. Both teams are not sure it they want to bat or bowl first, but overhead conditions and light make it a 100% bowl first day. A home club has done all possible to prepare a great pitch, but don’t get the ‘chance’ of the toss to use conditions to their favour.

One suggestion I have seen talked about by a few is that the ECB could hire and run the ground staff at each ground. As opposed to how it currently sits that counties employ their own ground staff.

Innovation for crowds and entertainment, and innovation so cricket is played on better surfaces. I like them both, I support them both, but both have pitfalls.