McCullum says day-night Tests are here to stay

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Day/night cricket

Australia wrapped up victory and the three-match Test series with a three-wicket win on the third day of the historic contest at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

Although the match failed to reach a fourth day, a total of 123,736 spectators were there to witness Test cricket's newest innovation as Australia triumphed in a contest dominated by the bowlers.

The combination of the pink ball, the lights and the grass on the pitch offered more for the respective attacks and made things challenging for the batsmen.

"It's a great concept. As pink ball cricket evolves as I am sure it will grow into a global game and I think we will see the pitches probably won't have quite as much grass on it," McCullum said.

"The thing about day-night Test cricket is it is meant to allow Test match cricket to be played at night time, it is not meant to be to change how Test cricket should play.

"There was a fraction too much grass on it, I think we saw under lights that the pink ball probably responded a little bit much, but I would say that because I am a batter.

"Overall it was a roaring success and 120,000 people over three days, people are voting with their feet and I think it's here to stay, which is great."

Australia skipper Steve Smith echoed McCullum's sentiments, saying: "The whole Test match was a great innovation, it was a great spectacle.

"To get 120,000 people through the gates in three days is absolutely amazing. I thought it was a great spectacle and a great Test match.

"I think the wicket here compared to the two Shield games that have been played on it and particularly the pink ball shield game we played, it looked like the grass was a bit more lively.

"That created a little bit more movement for the bowlers and kept the ball together and swinging for a long period.

"But I think it was great to see something different, the first two Test matches were dominated by the bat, so it's great to see something different and see the bowlers coming into their own."

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