Publications
Partners
Adelaide - Australia's colour-blind wicketkeeper Matthew
Wade insists he will cope in this week's day-night Test against South Africa
despite having difficulty in picking up the pink ball under lights.
The Victorian gloveman has been recalled at the expense of
Peter Nevill among a raft of changes for the third Test at Adelaide from Thursday
with Australia desperate to prevent a clean-sweep by the Proteas after defeats
in Hobart and Perth.
Wade, banished from Test cricket three years ago due to
shoddy glovework, admits his vision problem makes it difficult with the pink
ball under lights, but is confident of adapting.
"I played pink ball at Adelaide Oval last year in a
Shield game, so it'll be interesting to see what it does in the Test arena.
You've just got to get used to it," he told reporters.
"I think it's trying to get it out of your mind. I can
see the colour of the ball, I pick it up. It's just at times it takes a little
bit longer to work out the depth of where it's coming."
He added: "It can't be an issue, I've got to work it
out."
The match will be only the second day-night Test in
Australia after the home side thrillingly beat New Zealand by three wickets on
only the third day at Adelaide Oval last year.
Wade, recalled as much for his batting prowess as his
keeping skills, said he found it easier now to cope with the pink ball than
when it was first rolled out as a Sheffield Shield experiment in the 2013-14
season.
"I've got more used to it I suppose," he said.
"The more you play, you get more used to it, but the ball is getting
better year-in, year-out."
Former Test opener Chris Rogers also suffered from colour-blindness and in 2014 withdrew from a match in which a pink ball was being trialled.
Australia go into Thursday's game on the back of five straight Test defeats and with the team in crisis as they look to stop South Africa becoming the first touring team to sweep a series Down Under.
