ADS8691: Configuration issues using Micropython daisy-chaining ADCs

Part Number: ADS8691

Tool/software:

Hi.

I'm having issues getting the ADCs working. For background:

New board to interface with an existing piece of equipment based around a raspi pico, existing firmware written in micropython and preference would be to continue in micropython.

Board has two ADCs in daisy chain configuration.

Initialised with an SPI write \xd0\x0c\x00\x00\xd0\x0c\x00\x00 to set the bits in SDO_CTL_REG to 0 as per datasheet.

When tested with a known DC voltage, the two ADCs seem to agree, however they only each output 1 byte, of the form:

\0xef\0x00\0xef\0x00. Changing the voltage applied to one ADC changes one of the two non-zero bytes, i.e. the first ADC changes the first byte.

Having issues reading registers, attempted to set the Vref value using 

\xd0\x14\x00\x0b\xd0\x14\x00\x0b
and read it using
\xc8\x14\x00\x00\xc8\x14\x00\x00
output is not correct however.
Are there some things I'm doing wrong? Is micropython incapable of working with this ADC?
Thanks in advance