New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling is reserving judgment on Test cricket's new pink ball following his first taste under a cold Hamilton night sky.
The Black Caps are anxious to learn more about the properties of the ball, which will be used for the first time in the historic third Test against Australia next month - under the lights of Adelaide Oval.
Although the fixture is still seven weeks away and New Zealand will get some warm-up games with a pink ball between the second and third Tests, they are keen to get their heads around what to expect from the new ball.
The late-night fielding session at Seddon Park on Wednesday will be followed by a non-competitive two-day game between the Black Caps tour squad and a composite selection starting on Thursday.
Watling says from a fielding perspective, the pink ball had similar qualities under lights to the white ball used for limited overs internationals.
"It felt pretty similar to what a white ball does in a black sky - you lose a bit of depth perception," he said.
"That's something we've got to practise and take into consideration. It's going to take a little bit of getting used to."
A better gauge will come in the game situation although even then, Watling says the ball's properties on a cold Hamilton night could be considerably different to what they encounter in warmer Adelaide.
"But it is good to start getting your head around the situation," he said.
"We want to win that Test match so it's good to tick it off now. We've got plenty of red ball practice coming up.
"It's good to put this in the memory bank and then put it away for a bit."
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