GRAEME SWANN said yesterday that England were better suited than Australia to host day-night Test matches over the next few years.

The first day-night Test starts in Adelaide today, between Australia and New Zealand, and with long days during the summer, Swann feels that it could be easier to play in England — especially with the traditional red ball.

The pink ball, which will be used for the first time in today’s test, has faced a lot of criticism and the conditions in England mean it wouldn’t need to be used according to the 36-year-old.

Swann said: “People always associate England with cold but during the time of year that Test cricket is on it doesn’t get dark until 10.30pm,” he said.

“They could just start two hours later and say we’ll turn the lights on. I wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years they’re playing day-night Test but using the red ball.

“I think that will turn out to be easier to see for a batsman rather than this pink ball.”

Though Swann has applauded Cricket Australia’s initiative, he shares the concerns of others about the way the pink ball will behave in Adelaide.

The former England spinner has not played in a match using a pink ball — he retired midway through the 5-0 Ashes whitewash two years ago — but reports from his former county colleagues at Nottinghamshire have not encouraged him.

“You’ve got to innovate, although at first I think it could be a bit of a shambles with this pink ball,” he said.

“It isn’t up to it, in my opinion. Whatever the lacquer they’re using — it’s supposed to have had 10 years’ development — I’d hate to see what the first few years were like.

“The guys I know who have played with a pink ball, Notts went out to play the Marylebone Cricket Club (in the United Arab Emirates) and they said during the day it is fine and you see the ball, but as soon as dusk and night comes it is like facing a little comet.

“You don’t see a ball — you see a streak.

“I’m sure they’ll refine it and tweak it and in a few years time they’ll probably land upon something that works.

“Whether this is the winning formula we’ll wait and see, but at least they’re doing something.

“It will be very interesting to see how it works in this Test.”

And though Swann is an advocate of day-night Tests to promote the game, he is firmly against reducing them to four-day matches, calling the idea a “massive mistake.”