Oz in line to host New Zealand in 'first-ever' day-night Tests in late 2015

Australia may reportedly host New Zealand in the first-ever day-night Tests in late 2015 following the introduction of twilight first-class matches this season.

According to News.com.au, day-night games will be trialled during the Sheffield Shield season in February 2014 in the states of Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne with pink kookaburra balls.

The report further said that Cricket Australia (CA) would schedule more day-night first-class matches in the 2014-15 season to improve trial playing conditions and equipment if the Shield trials are successful.

The report also said that New Zealand might be hosted by either Adelaide or Brisbane in a late 2015 Test in a bid to take the game to an audience currently excluded by playing times during business hours.

Stating that nothing is yet guaranteed as there is still a lot of work to be done, CA CEO James Sutherland said that the February trials are their first serious effort to make day-night Test cricket a reality, adding that there are in discussions with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) to gauge their interest in the concept.

According to Sutherland, this is necessary to ensure that Tests remain the most popular form of the game, adding that there is no major team sport in the world that schedules the majority of its premium content during the working week.

The ICC has approved the trialling of day night Tests and Australia will be willing to play day night Tests overseas if the experiment is successful, the report added.