# Bad light stops play in Durban Test despite new ICC rule

> More than 60 overs lost to afternoon clouds in South Africa v Australia, even though cricket just approved a pink ball option to prevent exactly this.
- Title: Bad light stops play in Durban Test despite new ICC rule
- Summary: More than 60 overs lost to afternoon clouds in South Africa v Australia, even though cricket just approved a pink ball option to prevent exactly this. Bad…
- Keywords: south africa cricket, australia cricket, durban test, bad light, pink ball, icc, test cricket, sports, Bad, light, stops, play
- Source: BBC Sport — https://bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c623d4pzy4n2o
- Published: 2026-10-12T05:19:46.169+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: south africa cricket, australia cricket, durban test, bad light, pink ball, icc, test cricket, sports
## Bad light halts Durban Test
More than sixty overs were lost to bad light across the first three days of the Test between South Africa and Australia in Durban this week.
## Why afternoon clouds build in Durban
A sea breeze forms as temperatures rise inland, increasing humidity through the morning. As temperatures fall toward evening, the air becomes saturated and clouds thicken and lower.
## Play stopped on each of three days
Day one halted at fifteen twenty-three local time after only sixty-five point two of ninety scheduled overs. Day two ended thirty-five minutes early at sixteen twenty-five. Day three finished at sixteen thirty-one.
## ICC approved pink ball last week
The International Cricket Council amended playing conditions to allow the pink ball in Tests if both teams agree before the match starts. South Africa and Australia did not hold such discussions.
## Pollock backs the pink ball solution
Former South Africa bowler Shaun Pollock, part of the ICC committee recommending the change, says there is a stigma around the pink ball. Using it would have meant forty-five more overs of Test cricket.

> The pink ball would have meant we played 45 more overs of Test cricket and that is why I am keen to introduce it.
## Teams fear the pink ball disadvantage
Australia have played in fifteen of Test cricket's day-nighters, ten more than any other team. The four leading wicket-takers in day-night matches are all Australians, with Mitchell Starc taking eighty-nine wickets in fifteen Tests.
## Philander wants umpires to enforce pink ball
Former South Africa bowler Vernon Philander prefers switching balls during a match if conditions require it, but says the ICC should enforce the pink ball through umpires to avoid integrity questions.

> I would like to see the ICC enforce it on to the officials to make that call.
## Key takeaway

Bad light halted more than 60 overs across three days of the first Test between South Africa and Australia in Durban, despite the ICC approving pink ball use last week to solve this problem.