Day-night Test an historic success

Hughes, 25, who played 26 Tests, died from bleeding on the brain on November 27 a year ago after being hit on the base of the skull by a rising ball at the Sydney Cricket Ground during a domestic match. It’s been 138 years since the Test cricket started with concerns over decline in viewership for the five-day format, and nearly a decade of dithering discussions and debate before this Test finally found approval.

Meanwhile, both the skippers of hosting Australian side and visiting New Zealand side Steve Smith and Brendon McCullum will look to register their name in the history books by winning the historic game of cricket.

New Zealand seamer Trent Boult felt the atmosphere “electric” and the ball behaved exactly as forecast. “Visually at night, I reckon it (pink ball) stands out like a sore thumb. Everyone who came and witnessed what went on will be very impressed with the whole experience”, said Peter Siddle afterwards.

Strong attendances inspire the players to produce their best, exciting the fans and creating value for the broadcasters and sponsors.

New Zealand crumbled in the middle session, losing three wickets for four runs in 11 balls, with opener Tom Latham, Ross Taylor and McCullum all falling through loose shots. The Adelaide Test match has always been one of my favourites and to play it with a crowd like that definitely surprised a few boys, Siddle said.

As predicted, the ball began to swing under lights in the final session, Australia had to withstand some lively swing bowling and promising spin from Mitchell Santner on debut. “The game is well and truly progressed – definitely a pretty good first day”.

“From what everyone is saying, it’s a different game under lights”.

“My understanding of Starc is that he can keep going until it actually gets a hell of a lot worse, and then he will have to have an operation”, Marsh told reporters in September.

“It’s just that little hour window where it is quite hard”, the left-armer said.

Batsmen complained in the leadup to the match about having trouble seeing the pink ball from twilight in warmup matches and Australia’s openers David Warner and Joe Burns bore the brunt of the challenge, each falling cheaply.

“It was a great buzz out there, everyone could see that and it’s incredible to be playing Test cricket in front of 50,000-odd people”.

“The Hughes incident was one in 50 million but certainly we don’t want something like that happening again”. “Even in a bit of pain he can get the job done”.