Adelaide Oval
Cricket - Australia v South Africa - Third Test cricket match - Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia - 26/11/16. The sun sets on Adelaide Oval as Australia play South Africa on the third day of the Third Test cricket match. Reuters / Jason Reed

The Adelaide Oval will host the first-ever day/night Ashes Test match next year when England visit Australia for a five-Test series, Cricket Australia confirmed on Tuesday.

The stadium had previously hosted day/night Test matches against South Africa and New Zealand and was always pencilled in as the first venue to stage pink ball Test cricket between rivals Australia and England.

The day/night Test, between Dec. 2 and Dec. 6, will be the second match of the series after The Gabba hosts the Ashes opener starting Nov. 23 next year. The Ashes will culminate with the third Test in Perth (starting Dec. 14), the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne (from Dec. 26) and the New Year Test in Sydney (from Jan. 4).

Keith Bradshaw, CEO of the South Australia Cricket Association (SACA) said the Ashes pink ball Test would be a huge boost for the city of Adelaide -- since a record attendance is expected to turn up at the Oval.

Adelaide Oval to stage first Ashes day/night Test

“Cricket fans have shown how much they love this format and we expect sell out crowds for the first Ashes day-night Test. Fans have voted with their feet the past two summers. The day-night Test in Adelaide is now the go-to destination for cricket fans worldwide.

“We expect a large number of ticket sales to come from interstate and overseas, which will drive South Australian tourism and create jobs," added Bradsawh.

Tickets for the 2017-18 Ashes series go on sale later this year, according to cricket.com.au.

Meanwhile, Australia spinner Nathan Lyon cautioned the cricket world against the "pink ball revolution" and feels that day/night Tests should be staged sporadically. "I don't think we need to overkill it (day/night Tests). It's been a great success down in Adelaide but I think it's quite important we leave Test cricket still a traditional game... (that) we don't come in and overkill the pink ball," Lyon said Monday, via Sydney Morning Herald.

According to several reports, Cricket Australia will be pushing for two day/night Tests per season following the 2017-18 season. Seeing as the pink ball version of Test cricket has seen a huge increase in TV ratings, not to mention advertising revenue, the Australian cricket authorities could get their way.

The Adelaide Oval will host the fifth and final one-day international between Australia and Pakistan on Jan. 26.

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