Wade not blind to pink challenge

Victoria captain Matthew Wade says he will not shy away from a chance to master playing against the pink ball as he campaigns for a recall to the Australian Test team.

Wade, who is colour-blind, was confident the condition would not hamper his work with the bat or behind the stumps in Victoria's day-night Sheffield Shield opener against Queensland, which begins at the MCG tomorrow afternoon.

While former Australia and Victoria opener Chris Rogers – who is also colour-blind - opted to sit out last year's day-night Shield fixture due to problems seeing the pink ball, Wade said he was determined to make the most of the opportunity.

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Gloveman Wade said the pink ball looked 'blurry' to him // Getty

"It makes it hard to try and get sight of it, that's for sure," said Wade, who has cemented a place as the one-day gloveman of choice but remains behind Peter Nevill in the Test stakes.

"I just don’t pick it up as clear as a red ball, it's a little bit blurry, which is never ideal but you work through those things.

"After those initial 20 balls you start to get yourself in and you pick the ball up a lot clearer.

"So it’s the same as any other game, I've just got to watch the ball as close as I can.

"Training is important, I went in for two hits yesterday, the second time I went in I saw the ball much clearer to it's just a matter of getting that work in with the ball."

While the prospect of tackling the pink ball while also trying to push his claims for a Test berth is not an ideal situation for the Victorian Bushrangers skipper, Wade said it was something he needed to adapt to if he wanted a future in the longer form internationally.

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Wade's scored 55 in his only bat against the pink ball so far // Getty

"Maybe it's not ideal but if I want to play Test cricket, there are day-night Tests that are going to come up over the next few years anyway.

"If I can score some runs maybe I'll put my hand up a bit more.

"I can only see (day-night Tests) continuing, so you've got to get used to it."

The wicketkeeper, who did not play in Victoria's day-night Shield match against Tasmania last season, experienced success against the same opposition with the pink ball one year earlier, scoring a half-century.

He said he would turn to his Victorian teammates for advice before tomorrow's match, having already discussed how to handle his colour-blindness with Rogers.

"I've spoken to Chris about seeing the ball in general and chucked on a few pairs of the Oakleys that he's had made so he can see the ball.

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Colour-blind Chris Rogers had special lenses developed // Getty

"He didn’t play last year. I'll definitely be playing. I haven’t batted at night with the ball but I played in Tassie and got some runs (in March 2014) with the pink ball, so I can see it, it's just not as clear."

The gloveman is also confident the pink ball will make no difference to his work behind the stumps.

"The distance away from the bat will help, I'll get a bit more of a sight on it.

"I can't remember having any troubles with it (last time). It's one of those things with cricket, if it gets in your mind too much, it'll probably be worse than what it actually is."

Victoria will hand a debut to young opening batsman Travis Dean in their opening Shield match against the myFootDr Queensland Bulls tomorrow, with Aaron Finch and Cameron White both overlooked by selectors.

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Finch has been benched by Victoria // Getty

Wade said the selection equation was now simple for Finch.

"Finchy would be bitterly disappointed. He's an Australian opening batter and wants to do the best he can for Victoria in the long format.

"He's been working really hard and it's unfortunate he didn’t get selected in this game, but obviously there's a couple of young boys who have put their hand up and obviously we can't go past them.

"Weight of runs is everything. With weight of runs he should get back in."

"He's made it clear to us that he wants to play Test cricket, so he'll work really hard.

"I have no doubt he'll be back in team at some stage."

Finch will turn out for Geelong in Victorian Premier Cricket when they play Carlton in Melbourne.