Dubai: A top official of cricket's governing body asserted the first-ever day-night Test featuring Australia and New Zealand starting in Brisbane from today will help promote Test matches.


ICC chief executive David Richardson

The International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive David Richardson believes the day-night Test is part of a package to lift the five-day format. "The game needed to understand the demands and expectations of both the fans and its key stakeholders, and Tests played into the evening session will provide an option to countries where Test cricket was facing attendance and commercial issues," Richardson is quoted in an ICC release. Most of the countries face the problem of dwindling crowds in Tests and the huge popularity of the Twenty20 cricket endangers its future — a fact Richardson admits.