Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said that the cricket boards of all major Test-playing nations "have thrown their support behind day-night matches and nearly half intend to host a game under lights in the next 12 months," according to Ian Ransom of REUTERS. Australia hosted the first day-night Test against New Zealand in Adelaide last year and "will play Pakistan in another in Brisbane in December." South Africa's players "have balked at an invitation to play Australia in a day-night match in November," however, citing concerns about the specially developed pink ball "and their inexperience playing with it." But he said that day-night Tests in general "had unanimous support from the top nations' boards." Sutherland: "What I heard from (ICC) full member country CEO's in meeting was a very broad-ranging commitment to day-night test cricket and indeed three or four full member countries are planning on hosting test cricket under lights in the course of the next 12 months, which is very encouraging." The first day-night Test "drew huge crowds to Adelaide Oval" and big TV audiences, helping to "offset disappointing attendances to the season-opening tests against New Zealand in Brisbane and Perth" (REUTERS, 4/26).
