Original research
Is the pink ball still under review? Cricket umpires’ perceptions of the pink ball for day/night matches

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2021.03.011Get rights and content

Abstract

Objectives

The visibility of the pink ball used in day/night Test cricket has been under scrutiny, with recent research suggesting cricketers find the pink ball less visible at dusk under floodlights. With increasing interest in this match format, this study sought to investigate elite umpires’ opinions pertaining to the visibility of the pink cricket ball during day/night matches.

Design

Purposeful sampling of a cross-section of elite umpires with experience adjudicating matches played using a pink cricket ball.

Methods

Twenty-seven international/first-class umpires completed a questionnaire consisting of Likert scale and free text responses covering perceptions of the pink cricket ball, with a particular emphasis on visibility.

Results

The pink ball when viewed at night under floodlights was rated as being significantly more visible than the red ball during natural lighting (ps < 0.050). Umpires who actively participated in training reported a significantly higher rating of the visibility of the pink ball (mean −3.14) at night under floodlights compared to those who didn’t (mean p = 0.010). No significant difference was reported in visibility in natural light or dusk under floodlights. Free text responses (n = 10) revealed the following themes: use of eyewear (coverage 0.30), and adjustment to positioning (coverage 0.20) to improve visibility of the pink ball.

Conclusions

Umpires report the visibility of the pink ball is equal to the red in natural light and at dusk but is significantly better at night. Preference for the pink ball is likely due to the predominantly perceptual nature of visual tasks performed by umpires.

Section snippets

Practical implications

  • This systematic investigation of elite cricket umpires’ opinions suggests that the visibility of the pink cricket ball is equal to or better than the red ball in traditional conditions.

  • The results of this study suggest that the visibility of the pink ball is significantly better at night under floodlights from both bowler’s end and square-leg positions, and significantly better at night than at dusk from the square-leg position.

  • The results indicate that the pink ball is suitable for day/night

Method

A cross-sectional survey study design was used to establish umpire perceptions of the visibility of the pink cricket ball in day/night matches. The white ball used in limited (50 and 20) over matches cannot currently be used in Test match cricket. The surface integrity and colour of the ball degrades significantly prior to the 80 over life span required for use in Test cricket. The white ball offers little to no contrast against the white clothing worn by Test cricketers. For these reasons, the

Results

Section A — Umpire characteristics

Participants (n = 27; age 50.9, SD = 8.1yrs; range 32−57yrs) had all officiated in first-class or International pink-ball matches (mean matches = 3.7, SD = 3.3, range 1–15) and so had experience of umpiring under the full variety of lighting conditions. When asked if they had previously undertaken any specific training in preparation for pink-ball matches, 11 umpires (41%) reported no specific training and 16 umpires (59%) reported that they had attended practice

Discussion

Anecdotally, some cricket umpires have reported that they find it difficult to see the pink cricket ball during dusk.1 This study sought to empirically investigate these reports using a cross-sectional survey with a purposeful sample of elite cricket umpires. Findings fail to support the anecdotal observations, with the visibility of the pink ball at dusk (and in the daytime) rated as being no different to that of a red cricket ball during natural daylight. In fact, elite umpires considered the

Conclusion

Elite cricket umpires reported no difference in the visibility of the pink ball and the red ball when umpiring from both the bowler’s end and square leg positions under natural light and at dusk under floodlights. The pink ball was reported to be more visible at night than the red ball under regular daylight conditions when umpiring from both the bowler’s end and square leg, with a significant increase in visibility compared to dusk when positioned at square leg. These findings differ from

Confirmation of ethical compliance

Ethical approval was granted by a Departmental Research Ethics Panel at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, UK. The study adhered to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Cricket Australia, The International Cricket Council, and The England and Wales Cricket Board for facilitating distribution of the survey. Thanks also go to all the professional umpires’ who kindly gave their time to complete the survey.

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