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Not much success with pink ball experiment
It will take some more time to materialse the concept of day-night Test matches as Cricket Australia's experiments with pink ball seem to be failing.
- Press Trust of India
- Updated: December 24, 2010 10:24 AM IST
Read Time:2 min
Melbourne:
According to local media reports, the players and officials who were part of the Futures League matches, where pink balls were used, say the balls deteriorated too quickly.
Umpires had also said recently that it was difficult to spot the ball after a point from square leg position.
"Officials said the Kookaburra balls had retained their colour well, but had lost condition too quickly to last the 80 overs demanded by Test cricket," a report in 'The Australian' said.
"One source said the trial had been worthwhile but more development work was needed before the ball was used in Tests," the report added.
South Australian second-XI fast bowler Elliott Opie said the balls' seam deteriorated faster than the traditional red variety.
"Everyone seemed to feel it behaved more like a white ball rather than a red ball. It was quite hard. It came off the bat quite hard and seemed to bounce more when it came off the deck.
But where it became abrasive it went a sort of a mauve or a purple colour. And it didn't seam or swing as much as a red ball," Opie said.
Meanwhile, Dilip Jajodia, managing director of English firm Dukes, which is competing with Kookaburra to find a suitable ball, has suggested using flourescent orange balls.
Orange balls were trailled in the mid-1990s but the experiment had failed.
"My view is that flourescent orange is the best chance. I have asked a lot of spectators and they go for orange every time. The technology is there to do almost anything.
Technology has moved on since the last time orange balls were tried," Jajodia was quoted as saying by 'Herald Sun'.
The report added that Duke balls did not find many takers for current trials since players found "bits" of paint coming off revealing a white cover beneath.
Some of the balls also went out of shape and were impossible to shine.
"The consensus among many observers was that painted balls are not suitable and, until a dyed pink leather capable of lasting 80 overs can be developed, the experiment does not have a genuine chance of success."
However, Jajodia said this type of ball will never be invented.
"The only colour you can properly dye leather is red. If you want a bright-coloured ball, you are going to have to put up with white underneath it," he said.
It will take some more time to materialse the concept of day-night Test matches as Cricket Australia's experiments with pink ball seem to be failing.According to local media reports, the players and officials who were part of the Futures League matches, where pink balls were used, say the balls deteriorated too quickly.
Umpires had also said recently that it was difficult to spot the ball after a point from square leg position.
"Officials said the Kookaburra balls had retained their colour well, but had lost condition too quickly to last the 80 overs demanded by Test cricket," a report in 'The Australian' said.
"One source said the trial had been worthwhile but more development work was needed before the ball was used in Tests," the report added.
South Australian second-XI fast bowler Elliott Opie said the balls' seam deteriorated faster than the traditional red variety.
"Everyone seemed to feel it behaved more like a white ball rather than a red ball. It was quite hard. It came off the bat quite hard and seemed to bounce more when it came off the deck.
But where it became abrasive it went a sort of a mauve or a purple colour. And it didn't seam or swing as much as a red ball," Opie said.
Meanwhile, Dilip Jajodia, managing director of English firm Dukes, which is competing with Kookaburra to find a suitable ball, has suggested using flourescent orange balls.
Orange balls were trailled in the mid-1990s but the experiment had failed.
"My view is that flourescent orange is the best chance. I have asked a lot of spectators and they go for orange every time. The technology is there to do almost anything.
Technology has moved on since the last time orange balls were tried," Jajodia was quoted as saying by 'Herald Sun'.
The report added that Duke balls did not find many takers for current trials since players found "bits" of paint coming off revealing a white cover beneath.
Some of the balls also went out of shape and were impossible to shine.
"The consensus among many observers was that painted balls are not suitable and, until a dyed pink leather capable of lasting 80 overs can be developed, the experiment does not have a genuine chance of success."
However, Jajodia said this type of ball will never be invented.
"The only colour you can properly dye leather is red. If you want a bright-coloured ball, you are going to have to put up with white underneath it," he said.
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