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One of the ABC's best-known commentators has accused Cricket Australia of insulting the sport by choosing to make next year's 150th Anniversary Test a pink-ball match.
Jim Maxwell, who has been calling matches for the broadcaster for almost 50 years, said the decision by the governing body is 'disrespectful'.
The 150th Anniversary Test will be played at the MCG from March 11-15 next year, commemorating the first ever Test match, which was contested by Australia and England in Melbourne in 1877.
But unlike that clash, next year's match will be held under lights at the MCG - making it the first time the men's side has played with the pink ball at the famous venue.
'Playing with a pink ball is an insult to the game,' Maxwell said.
'It's so disrespectful to a game that has been played with a red ball for 99.9 per cent of its history and no-one else in the world really plays pink-ball cricket.
Veteran ABC cricket commentator Jim Maxwell (pictured) has accused the game's Aussie governing body of insulting the sport with plans for the 150th Anniversary Test in 2027
The historic match at the MCG next March will be a day-night affair played with the pink ball, like the Brisbane Ashes Test this summer (pictured)
Maxwell is angry about the switch away from the red ball for the 150th Anniversary Test, branding it 'disrespectful' to the sport (pictured, Australia's Michael Neser holds the pink ball in Brisbane after taking five wickets)
'Yes, there are good people on the cricket board who understand business but sometimes you have to think like a cricketer and as such, you do not play a pink-ball game to celebrate 150 years.
'But believe it or not, that's what they're going to do.
'It's all about the so-called evolution of the game, getting more eyeballs on the game of cricket.
'It's a legacy of the previous [Cricket Australia] chief executive, from what I hear, a decision that Cricket Australia haven't really spat out too loudly.'
Maxwell - who also told News Corp that his favourite player to cover was West Indian legend Brian Lara - was forced to apologise during this summer's Ashes series after he dubbed England's Bazball style of play 'Baz Bollocks'.
His broadside at Cricket Australia over the Anniversary Test comes hot on the heels of the ABC being denied access to Aussie stars during the Sydney Ashes match last week over remarks made on air by former fast bowler Stuart Clark.
Clark created headlines when he lashed the Australian set-up, labelling head of cricket James Allsopp a 'grade coach' and suggesting chief selector George Bailey was just a yes-man without gravitas to stand up to players and coaches.
Those comments drew the ire of CA bosses, with CEO Todd Greenberg meeting with Clark on Tuesday to voice his displeasure and defend the pair.
It was then reported that angry members of the Australian Test team drove the decision to ban the ABC from speaking to them after stumps.
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