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.

"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.

"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."

CA optimistic about commercial outcome of pink ball Test

Evaluating the success or otherwise of this initiative will inevitably be subjective, but Sutherland is already enthused about the commercial outcome despite being a month out from the event "if demand for tickets is any indication".

At every opportunity Sutherland reiterates that the exercise is principally about getting more people viewing and attending Test cricket, and he's quick to scotch suggestions that the pink ball could gazump the red in any meaningful way.

"Not for one moment are we saying we want to play day/night cricket all the time that we play Test cricket," he said.

"At certain times of year in certain parts of the world it is appropriate to play day/night Test cricket because you can capture greater audiences.

"When people work and kids are at school it's an opportunity for more fans to have access to the game."

As for the circulating suggestion, shared by Hastings last night, that new balls may need to be given to fielding teams more than once every 80 overs - or separate balls taken from each end - Sutherland is effusive: that won't be happening in Adelaide.

"The rules for Test cricket this summer are already there, so nothing will change," he said.

"Those things may develop down the track, but we know the playing conditions for this Test match and we're confident it will be a very good and fair contest."

Reflecting on the Sheffield Shield day one scorecards, specifically in Adelaide where Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood took three South Australian wickets in six overs under lights before stumps, Sutherland cautioned against drawing conclusions.

"Don't read anything into that," he was quick to say.

"It is remarkable, all of the pink ball day night matches in the last two years average out to be identically the same in terms of characteristics - wickets and runs - on average, to all of the day cricket we have played at Sheffield Shield level.

"Its the same as Test cricket anywhere. You can have interesting games, you can have not so interesting games, you can have game son slow wickets, games on fast wickets; it's all cricket."

To reiterate this point, retiring CA Chairman Wally Edwards referred to some notorious recent Australian collapses by way of comparison.

"That happened in Nottingham as well, with a red ball, in the daylight", recalling Australia's dismissal for just 60 at Trent Bridge in August, adding that in 2011 at Cape Town the national team were at one stage reduced to 9 for 21.

"A new ball is a new ball, if you put it in the right spot," he concluded.

Of that, time will tell.