Test day-nighters for Proteas?

Australian cricket administrators have put out feelers to South Africa about playing test matches as day-night games when the Proteas tour Down Under at the end of the year.

Cricket SA's chief executive, Gerald Majola, confirmed this on Wednesday.

"I have mentioned it to the players but they did not sound particularly eager," Majola said. "I don't think we'll fall in with the idea."

The Australians are concerned about attendances at test matches and they would like to experiment with day-night test matches when the South Africans tour there later this year.

Majola says Cricket SA have taken no decision. "I am not negative about the idea at all. I am in favour of anything that will enhance test cricket.

"However, there are objections and questions have to be answered.

"Dew in the evening may make it difficult. People have also asked whether one ball will be used throughout or whether the teams will use two balls of different colours; one for the day and one in the evening," Majola explained.

If the Aussies are worried about test attendances, South African administrators should be tearing their hair out.

Majola admitted that attendances at the recent test matches against the West Indies had not met expectations.

The experiment of moving the Christmas test from Durban to Port Elizabeth was no great success at the turnstiles.

"The only two South African grounds where test cricket is well supported are Newlands in Cape Town and Centurion.

"We are investigating to find the reason and to establish what those unions do to ensure that spectators turn up," he added.

It has been suggested that the Christmas test should be played at Centurion. Majola says they are also looking at playing limited-overs cricket over the festive period, instead of test matches.

Making the third day of every test a special day for spectators, with a competition to win a trip to Lord's, has been a success.