Pink-ball Ashes game a distinct possibility: Cricket Australia

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland on Thursday said there is a "distinct possibility" the first day-night Ashes Test will be played when Australia take on England in the summer of 2017.

On Wednesday, CA announced a schedule for the upcoming summer which has a day-night Test against Pakistan to be staged at Brisbane and another proposed pink-ball battle with South Africa in Adelaide. Sutherland also seemed confident of a pink-ball Ashes encounter.

"I think it's a distinct possibility," Sutherland was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

"I think over the course of the next 12 months or so we'll see day-night Test cricket being played in other countries other than Australia."

"I'm really confident that other member boards are very keen to do that. As we've talked about, there's going be more (day-night) Test cricket played into future and it will be a part of regular series. And it may well be that there is a day-night Test match in the Ashes series in 2017-18."

There are reports that South Africa are reluctant to feature in the pink-ball game at Adelaide citing lack of experience in the format but Sutherland said he is hopeful that they will ultimately agree to play the match.

"We're still optimistic that the big picture will prevail. The big picture is about making the game of Test cricket more accessible to fans and those sitting at home, to be able watch into the evening after school or work," Sutherland said.

"We know the success of the Adelaide Test match last year is a proof of concept, if you like."

"That's one of the reasons we're so enthusiastically in favour of having a couple day-night Test matches this summer."

--IANS

dd/sam/dg