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White ball for day-night Tests?

London - White balls may be used when day-night test matches are introduced, according to International Cricket Council (ICC) general manager of cricket Dave Richardson.

A pink ball has been trialled in England, Australia and West Indies which would enable test players to wear white clothing under floodlit conditions with white sightscreens. The traditional red ball is difficult to see properly under lights.

White balls are used successfully in day-night one-day matches but the players wear coloured clothing and black sightscreens are employed. Clothes and sightscreens have always been white in test cricket.

"Anecdotal evidence at the moment is probably if we can find a white form that retains its colour or remains clean for longer that will probably be the best option," Richardson told Reuters be telephone from the ICC's Dubai headquarters.

Richardson said he thought a suitable ball, whether coloured or white, would be ready in time for next year's English season.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat told Reuters on Tuesday a switch to coloured clothing for test cricket would have to be carefully considered.

"It is a debate that we would love to engage in because I am not totally sure of removing the white clothing in test cricket," he said.

"There's a part of me that still wants to keep that. We need to apply our minds very carefully if we are going to change some fundamentals."

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