Steve Waugh highlighted the widespread criticism around the lack of play on day one because of bad light after the first day of the Third Test against South Africa at the SCG.

“Test cricket needs to realise there is a lot of competition out there and not using the lights when the players are off for bad light simply doesn’t add up,” the former Australia captain said on Instagram. “Lots of unhappy spectators who can’t understand the rationale and reason for no play. #commonsense #movewiththetimes @icc @cricketaustralia.”

During the Test, Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive Todd Greenberg said Australia’s players are willing to invest in the development of a new and improved ball that will allow Test cricket to continue during bad light.

He reiterated the ACA’s stance this week.

“We remain of the view that the game must find new and innovative ways to ensure players remain on the field, albeit safely and ensuring the contest between bat and ball can be protected,” Greenberg said.

“But we are in the entertainment business and as such we must play and entertain as best we possibly can.”

During the Sydney Test, Venues NSW chairman Tony Shepherd said it should become a day-night match or, at the very least, be played with a pink ball to avoid fans being robbed of play through bad light.

Cricket Australia responded by opposing a day-night Test in Sydney because it would interrupt the Big Bash schedule, but chief executive Nick Hockley described playing the Test with a pink ball, which would coincide with the McGrath Foundation’s Pink Test, as an “interesting idea”.

This week Cricket Australia’s head of cricket operations and scheduling, Peter Roach, suggested there was little prospect of a short-term solution to bad light stopping play.

He said there had to be a balance between entertainment and the safety of players, which was paramount when they couldn’t see a red ball in dark conditions.

Roach claimed the current Kookaburra pink ball used for the Adelaide day/night Test could not be used in Sydney because it would discolour on the abrasive clay pitch. Since Adelaide day-night Tests began in Adelaide during 2015, a thin cushion of grass has been left on the drop-in wicket to protect the ball.

“There’s no doubt that ball manufacturers can produce a ball that doesn’t deteriorate,” Roach said. “You can produce lacquer on a ball that actually doesn’t wear off. But that’s again changing the game to a position where we don’t think we want Test cricket to go.

“If the lacquer doesn’t come off the ball teams will just play four quicks and spinners will die out of the game and the beauty of seeing spin bowling and seeing batters face spin may disappear.

“Now that to us is not a solution that we want. It’s finding that balance between giving swing bowlers up front a chance and giving the quicks throughout the match a chance, but also making sure there’s a period of the game where the ball deteriorates so that we can see spinners thrive.

“There’s not a simple solution [to bad light stopping play].”

Roach said umpires need to ensure there is as much play as possible and claimed Cricket Australia will keep pushing manufacturers to improve the pink and red ball.

“We think that the Australian public love day Test matches as well. I don’t think the public of Australia want all Test matches to be day-night either,” he said.