Australia vs Pakistan LIVE | Vaughan calls for permanent pink ball use
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has called for the ICC to switch to the pink ball for all Test matches.
Vaughan made the call following a “frustrating” bad light stoppage on day two of the third Test between Australia and Pakistan at the SCG.
With a weather band moving in from the west, umpires suspended play shortly before 2.30pm local time as the light deteriorated.
“We’ll be using a pink ball in Brisbane, can’t we get one out that’s 47 or 50 overs old and carry on?” he said.
“If the solution is that we have to play with a coloured ball that can be used in all light, and if we have to play with a pink ball going forward to make sure this doesn’t happen, it’s down to the game of cricket to come up with those answers.”
It’s gloomy in Sydney, but former England skipper Michael Vaughan in commentary for Fox Sports is not happy with the decision.
The word is the umpires offered Pakistan skipper Shan Masood to bowl spinners to stay on the field, but he refused in order to keep Aamir Jamal in the attack.
“Seriously. Is he that dangerous? Come on. Australia have lost two wickets,” he said as players walked off.
“It’s one of my bugbears about Test cricket – we just seem to find a way of getting off the pitch at any opportunity.
“In T20, fifty over cricket, you stay out there, you go through it.
“It’s an entertaining business – there’s no threat to the batter.
“Yeah you might get out, you might play a poor shot, but there’s not been one ball where Marnus or Steve Smith have looked at the umpire and gone, ‘I’ve not quite picked that up out the hand’.”
Adam Gilchrist agreed.
“Even though Marnus didn’t necessarily score off those short balls, he didn’t look in any danger or he was intimidated … it’s frustrating for everyone involved,” he said.
