What colour cricket ball is best for playing in the testing conditions of Antarctica?

While the Australian cricket team prepares for the inaugural day-night Test match with a pink ball, expeditioners on the frozen continent chose to stick with the traditional red.

On Saturday, a C-17A Globemaster delivered bulk cargo to Wilkins Aerodrome in Antarctica.

It was the first joint logistics mission between the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

The plane left Hobart Airport at 9:30am Saturday morning and touched down in Antarctica about five hours later.

Once on the ground, a team of AAD and RAAF personnel quickly unloaded the cargo, which included a brand new Hagglund, a dual cab vehicle used for getting across snow and ice terrain, and pallet-loads of building materials.

But those RAAF personnel not needed for unloading put their spare time to good use.

With temperatures of about minus-10 degrees Celcius and winds below five knots, the conditions were perfect for a quick game of cricket.

The local Wilkins Aerodrome crew had worked overnight to clear a pitch on the ice runway after a blizzard the day before.

It produced a lively wicket with a bit of turn that favoured the visiting spinners.

No result was recorded, as the RAAF crew had to abandon the game to fly the C-17A back to Hobart.