Hobart - Now that South Africa have won their series in Australia‚ next week’s pink-ball‚ day/night third Test in Adelaide has been relegated to little more than novelty value.

Accordingly‚ South Africa have scaled back their tour match in Melbourne.

The pink-ball‚ day/night game against a Victoria XI was scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

But on Thursday team management said the fixture had been reduced to a 50 overs-a-side affair to be played under Test conditions and on Saturday only‚ with South Africa opting to bat first.

If it seems like the South Africans aren’t buying into the hype about Test cricket’s latest innovation‚ perhaps they aren’t.

“I don’t think we are going to change much‚” selection convenor Linda Zondi said when he was asked if the visitors were contemplating different tactics - in‚ for instance‚ the structure of the batting order - for the Adelaide Test.

“That’s one thing from a selection panel that we try to maintain - to make sure we don’t fiddle around with the squad too much.

“It’s important that we maintain the stability of the squad and the structure of the starting XI.

“When we come up with a decision in the starting XI‚ we give guys and opportunity and we back guys.

“That’s what we’ve done and we are going to try and keep doing that.

“The more guys understand their roles‚ the better for the team and the better for us moving forward.”

But Zondi did not rule out changes for the third Test.

“That’s why we’ve got a squad of 16‚ that’s part of the plan.

“Within the squad we’ve got enough variation in terms of the players we have.”

That could sound contradictory‚ but it could also be a case of covering all the bases.

South Africa have taught Australia several lessons during this series.

Talking a good game might just be among them. - TMG Sport