South Africa not sold on pink ball

The pink ball isn't living up to its hype, South African paceman Kyle Abbott says.

"We expected it do a lot more," Abbott said of the ball in the day-night Test match in Adelaide.

"Even the warm-up game that we had here and the then net sessions that we had with it, it certainly did do a bit ... I don't think it has actually lived up to its hype and expectations."

Australia resume on Saturday's third day of play at 6-307, a lead of 48 runs over the tourists.

Abbott said the ball went through stages of activity - when it was new, and when it was dusk.

"To be fair, there are periods of the game where it does a bit ... once dusk and the lights come on, again it does a little bit, a little bit more nip off the seam than actual swing through the air," he said.

Abbott believed making the most of the pink ball when it was new would prove decisive on a true pitch without "any demons".

"The new ball is going to be key, the second new ball or the first one. That first 15 to 20 overs is going to really be testing," he said.

"And I think the majority of wickets have fallen in that period so when it's our turn to bat again, we are certainly going to identify that."

Abbott believed the Test match was in the balance entering day three.

"If we can pick up the last four wickets and not have a deficit of anything 100 and above ... we would be pretty confident of knocking them (the deficit) off and posting a score with the bat," he said.

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