Shaun Pollock calls for pink balls in daytime Tests as bad light threatens to turn Australia's dominance against South Africa into a draw

October 12, 2026

Former fast bowler Shaun Pollock has advocated for the use of pink balls in daytime Test matches following weather and light interruptions during the opening fixture between Australia and South Africa. Approximately 61 overs were lost over the first three days, raising the prospect of a drawn contest despite Australia holding a commanding advantage.

Pollock suggested that deploying the colored ball earlier could mitigate visibility issues and prevent significant playing time from being abandoned. This proposal followed an incident where a fielder lost sight of a lofted shot, prompting umpires to halt play due to fading visibility.

Australia initially recovered from a precarious position of 124 for 6 during their first innings, thanks to a resilient knock by Matt Renshaw and contributions from the lower order to post a total of 390 runs. The visiting bowlers subsequently restricted the hosts to 284, securing a 106-run lead before expanding their advantage past 300 runs in the second innings.

Pollock noted that the pink ball has faced criticism for moving too much and favoring bowlers, but maintained that adopting it for daytime sessions would successfully maximize the duration of play in matches disrupted by poor light.