ICC considering 'different colour' balls in Test matches

The International Cricket Council is considering the use of "different coloured" balls in all Test matches.

A pink variation will be used in the first day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand in November, but day-time matches use only a red ball.

A red ball can be difficult to see when floodlights are used, like in England's draw with Pakistan on Saturday.

"It may be that we use a different coloured ball for all Tests," said ICC chief executive Dave Richardson.

Though the pink-ball Test between Australia and New Zealand is scheduled to take place under floodlights, restrictions are currently in place on how red-ball cricket continues under artificial lighting.

These are enforced by the umpires, with no consultation to the players, as occurred on Saturday, when England were denied the opportunity to hit the 25 runs required for victory under floodlights in Abu Dhabi.

"It's not ideal for the game," added former South Africa wicketkeeper Richardson. "How we solve it I'm not so sure. We've tried various methods

"We are pinning some hope on developing a ball, a different-coloured ball. At this stage it would be a pink ball.

"If we can use it for day-night Test cricket, if the quality is good enough and it stays in decent enough condition, long term we can use that different-coloured ball for all Test matches."

On Monday, Richardson was quoted in the Times suggesting a "greeny-yellow" ball could be used, but the 56-year-old clarified these comments in a press conference.

"I was just talking about a different-coloured ball, and said 'pink, yellow, green, whatever' - nothing specific."