South Africa wary of partaking in Adelaide day-night Test

CA's desire for dual day-night Tests has hit a roadblock with South Africa reluctant to play in the match. © Cricaction

The day-night Test in Adelaide earmarked for the 2016-17 Australian summer is under threat with South Africa reportedly not wanting to partake in the pink ball fixture.

After last November's overwhelming success where record crowds and enormous television ratings ensured the Australia -New Zealand day-night Test in Adelaide was a major hit, Cricket Australia (CA) has been keen to schedule two pink ball matches for the upcoming summer. Day-night matches in Brisbane and Adelaide have been mooted with the schedule for the 2016-17 Australian season likely to be officially announced on Wednesday (April 20).

But CA's desire for dual day-night Tests has hit a roadblock with South Africa reluctant to play in the match because none of their players have experience with the pink ball.

"Our players are not in favour of playing the game under those conditions," Tony Irish, head of the South African Players' Association, told News Corp Australia on Tuesday (April 19). "The main reason is we feel disadvantaged. Not one of our players who will compete in that Test has played Test match cricket or any cricket with a pink ball."

Australian players were reportedly quizzed about playing with the pink ball by their South African counterparts recently. It is believed that many Australian players revealed to the South Africans that they struggled with the visibility of the ball and the changing conditions during the historic day-night match against New Zealand, which lasted three days.

CA offered a financial sweetener of (AUD) $1 million prize pool for the New Zealand series, with money split 60-40 in favour of the winners. A similar deal may now be offered to South Africa in a desperate last-resort effort.

The day-night fixture between Australia and Pakistan at the Gabba set for mid-December appears all but guaranteed, while a One-Day International Chappell-Hadlee series between Australia and New Zealand will likely be played between the two Test tours.