Time to get on with it. The message from Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland on the pink ball is black and white. The trials are over, the tests done, improvements made and the time for performance is now.

Speaking at the MCG on the day that the organisation he administers banked a massive $99 million profit, CA’s big boss was respectful of players stating their views – robust or otherwise – but is firm in reinforcing that the ball is ready for action.

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“I like the fact that we have a really strong and open relationship with our players,” Sutherland said of public criticism from internationals Adam Voges, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle and John Hastings in recent days.

“They understand why we are doing this, and of course they have their own trepidation, but they also have a very clear and good understanding of the game.

“I was more concerned about criticism a couple of years ago when we were testing, and that’s the thing here, we’ve been through a really rigorous process in conjunction with particularly Kookaburra.”

In earlier comments to reporters, Sutherland did offer a subtle push back to vocal members of the playing staff, saying that while they know the game is proceeding, he believes that the touring New Zealanders “accepted that for a bit longer”.

“The players are going into a bit of the unknown and these guys are elite athletes who are always challenged in a highly competitive environment. So you can understand form that perspective there’s a bit of trepidation,” he said.

“Our players just need to focus on what’s ahead and what’s going to be a very interesting series.

“We’re in high performance preparation mode now, the trials are gone, they happened a long time ago.

“Right now these matches being played are about making sure our Test players have an opportunity to play under these conditions quite close to the third Test match.”

Responding to Australian Cricketers Association president Greg Dyer’s observation that the Adelaide Test could yet be aborted, Sutherland was dismissive, saying the contribution was “a bit late”.

He added that the ACA had been an “absolutely integral” part of the ball testing and improvement process.

“More work’s gone into preparing this pink ball than any ball in the history of the game. We haven’t learned anything new over the course of the last week or so that we didn’t know already,” he said.

“Having had a look at photos of the ball yesterday in Adelaide I’m even more positive and comfortable than I was.”

– ABC