Sheffield Shield: WA Cricket call for more pink-ball matches after return to domestic schedule

WA Cricket has thrown its support behind more day-night Sheffield Shield matches, with new CEO John Stephenson declaring “bring it on”. Stephenson, who was involved in the process of inventing the pink ball, is keen to see more domestic matches played under lights. WA were on board with this season’s matches when the topic was on the table with Cricket Australia in pre-season, but its clash with South Australia at Adelaide Oval last month was only moved to later in the day just weeks before it started. The three-time reigning champions drew that match, which was played during The West Test, but cricket boss Kade Harvey believes it is an important part of preparing players to play under lights at the next level. Australia is playing a pink-ball Test against India in Adelaide this week, with Brisbane to host a day-night match during next summer’s Ashes series. Stephenson said day-night shield matches opened the door to people attending after work and could invigorate the historic competition. “I think it’s really good, I was excited to see that WA were playing a pink-ball day-night game at the Adelaide Oval last week,” he told The West Australian. “People can come down after work and watch a session, session-and-a-half, I think it’s good for the game. Bring it on, I would like to see more of it.” WA coaches stress a key part of their role is to create Test cricketers and Harvey said pink-ball matches were important if the concept was to remain a part of our summer schedule at international level. “My discussions with Cricket Australia when they flagged it through the pre-season, once the Future Tours Program was clear around the international schedule and where it’s being played — and it’s being played consistently over a long period of time — was that if it was played at Test level, we should be playing it domestically,” Harvey told The West. “I think the schedule going forward would dictate that it is played in places that play pink-ball Test cricket, or have similar conditions to where those games are played. “So we are comfortable and really supportive of it. “I don’t think in two years time we want a young batter stepping into an Adelaide or Brisbane pink-ball game without having faced it in shield cricket. “If it’s played internationally, we need to be replicating that as best we can.” Queensland also played Victoria at the Gabba in a pink-ball match last month, but Tasmania and New South Wales will wait until March for their taste of it. Cricket Australia’s head of national teams, Ben Oliver, said part of the call was to “enhance the experience for domestic players and best prepare them for the challenges of international cricket”.