Cricket’s Deadliest Pink Ball Bowlers

Ever since the first pink ball test match (also known as a day-night test) at Adelaide, back in 2015, multiple matches have been played with the more brightly coloured ball, as it allows play to go on after dark, so those working from 9 till 5 can watch the game after a long day at the office.

Many see day-night test matches as a way of solving the burning issue of dwindling crowds and television audiences watching cricket’s oldest format, yet traditionalists feel that test matches with a pink ball simply aren’t cricket. Concerns over whether the pink ball doesn’t offer as much assistance to the bowlers, especially spinners, have been raised, but some have managed to thrive using the luminous ball. Of the fourteen pink ball tests that have been played so far, Australia have contested half of them (four more than any other nation) and have come out on top in each one, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that bowlers from down under dominate this list.

6) Trent Boult

Statistics in Pink Ball Tests:

2 matches, 16 wickets at an average of 12.50, Strike Rate (SR) of 26.5, 2 five wicket hauls, economy of 2.83, best bowling figures in an innings of 6/32, best bowling figures in a match of 9/99

Despite having only played 2 day-night tests, Trent Boult has already excelled with the pink ball, amassing 16 wickets at a ridiculously low average of 12.50 which is well under half his career bowling average of 27.65. He was a key part of the inaugural pink ball test; picking up just the second five wicket haul in the history of day-night test matches and almost managing to drag the victory away from Australia’s clutches.

5) Yasir Shah

Statistics in Pink Ball Tests:

4 matches, 18 wickets at an average of 46.44, SR of 79.0, 2 five wicket hauls, economy of 3.52, best bowling figures in an innings of 6/184, best bowling figures in a match of 8/231

When he rapped West Indies batsman Leon Johnson on the pads in 2016, Yasir Shah became the first Asian cricketer to take a wicket in a day-night test match. No non-Australian bowler has taken more wickets than Yasir Shah in pink ball test matches.

4) Pat Cummins

Statistics in Pink Ball Tests:

4 matches, 19 wickets at an average of 18.57, SR of 43.2, 1 five wicket haul, economy of 2.57, best bowling figures in an innings of 6/23, best bowling figures in a match of 10/62

Pat Cummins’ exceptional stats in day-night cricket shouldn’t come as a surprise; he currently sits atop the test cricket bowling rankings and has managed to terrorise numerous batsmen in cricket’s longest format, regardless of the colour of the ball. He is one of only two bowlers to have taken 10 wickets in a pink ball test match (the other player to achieve this feat is the West Indies spinner Devendra Bishoo).

3) Josh Hazelwood

Statistics in Pink Ball Tests:

6 matches, 26 wickets at an average of 22.38, SR of 49.5, 1 five wicket haul, economy of 2.71, best bowling figures in an innings of 6/70, best bowling figures in a match of 9/136

During the premier day-night test in November 2015, Josh Hazelwood etched his name into the history books by becoming the first cricketer to take a wicket in a pink ball test, after he got New Zealand opener Martin Guptill out lbw for 1. Since then, he has taken 26 scalps with the brightly coloured ball.

2) Nathan Lyon

Statistics in Pink Ball Tests:

7 matches, 28 wickets at an average of 25.96, SR of 55.4, 1 five wicket haul, economy of 2.80, best bowling figures in an innings of 5/69, best bowling figures in a match of 6/105

With 28 wickets in pink ball matches, Nathan Lyon holds the title of the most wickets by a spinner in day-night tests. What perhaps makes that wicket tally even more impressive is the fact that many experts feel the pink ball is much tougher for spinners to excel with than the typical red ball.

1) Mitchell Starc

Statistics in Pink Ball Tests:

7 matches, 42 wickets at an average of 19.23, SR of 35.6, 3 five wicket hauls, economy of 3.23, best bowling figures in an innings of 6/66, best bowling figures in a match of 9/97

There is little doubt that Mitchell Starc has been the deadliest bowler so far in day-night test matches; his performances in pink ball cricket have simply been a cut above the rest. No bowler has come anywhere close to the Aussie quick’s 42 wickets under lights so it’s little wonder that he was so desperate for a pink ball test against India this summer.

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