Stuart Broad warns England about pink-ball ‘lottery’ in Brisbane

England’s hopes of levelling the Ashes scoreline are at the mercy of a pink-ball “lottery”, according to Stuart Broad.

A fast-forward defeat inside two days at Perth Stadium means the tourists are in desperate need of a positive result in Brisbane next week, where they will be playing a day/night match at the Gabba.

The concept is still a relative novelty at the highest level, with this game just the 25th men’s Test under lights in a decade, but is played most frequently Down Under.

Broad has played in all seven of England’s previous floodlit games, including two losses on the last tour of Australia four years ago, while frontline seamer Gus Atkinson and first-choice wicketkeeper Jamie Smith have never even experienced it in first-class cricket.

And he has warned that the change in competitive balance that comes when batting in the awkward ‘twilight’ period where artificial light takes over can throw things out of kilter.

“Ultimately the best team generally wins Test matches, but this one is on a bit more of a knife-edge with conditions,” he said on his For the Love of Cricket Podcast.

“The game is manipulated by the situation of the night-time and the pink ball. It’s a bit of a lottery. If you get a brand new ball under the floodlights at the Gabba you should be taking wickets and you can break the game open.

“It’s going to be a hell of a challenge. There’s something about the pink ball, you can’t quite pick it up as well.”

England have only won two of their day/night outings but that includes their most recent attempt, against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in 2023.

On that occasion, Ben Stokes declared after just 58 overs on the opening day, calling his side in at 325 for nine. It proved an inspired decision, with three quick wickets falling as the skies darkened to hand England the upper hand.

And Broad feels that leaves only once choice when it comes to the toss.

“Win the toss and bat is pretty crucial in my opinion,” he said.

“It’s all about timing and when to bowl with a brand new ball. At twilight you’ve got a great chance of doing really well; the ball just seems to zip around a little bit more.

“If you bat well you can control when you bowl.”

England are due to return to practice on Saturday for the first time since losing the series opener, with an additional session at Allan Border Field. The session was not originally in the diary but has been added since the hasty conclusion in Perth.

While optional, most if not all of the 13-strong squad in Brisbane are expected to attend. Three others – Jacob Bethell, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue – are with Andrew Flintoff’s Lions in Canberra, where they will take on a Prime Minister’s XI at Manuka Oval over the weekend.