Taufel: Pink ball "looks good"

Date released: 13 May 2009

Taufel (left) with the ICC's Haroon Lorgat at Lord's for an ICC meeting Elite umpire Simon Taufel says the pink ball, being trialled by MCC "looks good" after he witnessed it in use during the MCC v MCC Young Cricketers match.

Taufel, a member of the MCC Laws sub-committee, has stood in more than 50 Tests and was invited by MCC to umpire in the MCC v MCC Young Cricketers match on the Main Ground at Lord's on Wednesday 13 May.

After umpiring the first ten overs of the match, Taufel spoke exclusively to MCC/RNIB volunteer commentator Ian McDougall:

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"Better than a white ball"

Taufel watches Jonthan Miles bowl the pink ball "It looked pretty good." Taufel said. "There was a little bit of a comet trail to it but it certainly gave me a lot more information off the pitch and off the seam.

"My view was you could probably see it better than a white ball.

"Now we have to look at the duration of that ball. Will it last the 80, 90, 100 overs?

"What's it going to change [for] a swing bowler; or someone who uses shine as a method of competing in the game? Spinners - how do they feel about it? Can they grip the ball because it's not a dye, it's still a lacquer.

"Does that change the way we'd play Test cricket? That's something I'm conscious of."

Asked about the white ball and the problem of it getting discoloured during a match Taufel went on to say:

Used pink and white cricket balls "It's mainly because of the discolouration of the ball hitting the surface. With this [pink] ball we don't see that problem. I've seen a ball that's 40 overs, 50 overs old - you don't get the same sort of discolouration.

"From that perspective, it's certainly a better colour."

Taufel is due back in South Africa on Thursday as one of the officials for the IPL (Indian Premier League) and said:

"It's been great to be able to take a bit of a break from the IPL, come across, contribute towards the [ICC] cricket committee and those discussions that have taken place and hopefully add some value to a game of cricket."

Day-night Tests?

Under the recently finished floodlights at Lord's, Taufel also spoke about the possibility of day-night Tests:

"I think what we have to do is respond to the changing markets that we're seeing.

"In some parts of the world we're seeing Test cricket as very alive and flourishing - we're seeing high spectator attendance and high TV ratings.

"But in some parts of the world, with some participants that's not the case. We have to make sure we respond to that feedback.

"If there are ways we can encourage more people to watch, enjoy and appreciate Test cricket, and that means changing the timing of it, to suit what the market wants - then I think we need to look at that."