Excitement is starting to build at the start of the Sheffield Shield season (not really) at the fact there will be day night matches in Queensland, Adelaide and Melbourne.
Now yes that does help revive interest in the Shield competition but also, if it goes well, this could be the springboard for a day night Test match in the next two to three years.
There is still enough to be sorted out by then regarding what colour the ball will be (most likely pink), what effect the conditions will have and the timing of matches but that would be the least out of those three.
Apart from the Ashes, India v Pakistan and South Africa v Australia/England, all the other match-ups don’t seem to generate enough interest or excitement.
We know Test cricket is played over five days so usually days two, three and four are timed to happen over the weekend so it gives best chance of having a high attendance during peak times of the match.
Most of us wouldn’t be able to be ‘sick’ for all the days a Test is on weekdays, so to an extent this does have an impact on who can go or watch it on TV.
This has been the prime motivator for day/night Tests.
I think that the timing could work like this:
First session begins 12:30pm.
Lunch 2:30pm.
Second session begins 3:10pm.
Tea 5:40pm.
Third session begins 6:00pm.
Stumps 8:00pm (8:30pm for slow over rate, which is likely to happen very often).
I have done it like this because of the chance to make up for lost time by starting half an hour earlier and finishing by 9pm in case of any rain delay, keeping in mind the original time for people travelling from the game.
This also means when ‘bad light’ comes around, there won’t be any ceasing the day’s play.
I’m sure this would likely increase the attendance from people going to the game after work as there would be more value and more kids would be able to attend after school.
For people at home they can sit down at dinner and watch the cricket and this also means it will be easier for other nations watching it in their time zones like India, South Africa, England and New Zealand.
Players have adapted well to playing one day cricket and T20 matches under floodlights, so while it will take a little bit of time to get used to the red ball coming in at 150km at 8pm, they will adjust.
It would be a great spectacle and it may give an advantage to the bowling side more at times on flat wickets.
Of course not every match will be a day night Test but it would be great to experience it at least twice a season here in Australia.
Brett
Roar Rookie
It does look like the ball will be pink as it does look easier to see then the gray/green type often seen in the one day matches i am glad tk hear it. I dont think day night tests will be every match but perhaps one or two a season but they could also have a poorer nation like bangladesh host a test in a new country in asia such as dubai to try and attract a new crowd to be interested in cricket. I did think about 8:30pm being scheduled finish time but i remembered that most times it would go a extra half hour due to slow over rates (which means 8:30pm if 8:00pm was scheduled) but that later finish could work, but the possibility of making up extra time due to rain delay would be fine extending into the night up to a extra hour depending on time lost of course. I do think all it will take for it to start happening is two nations agreeing to playing in one for the rest to follow, it looks as if the front runners are the aussies and kiwis here (likely at the gabba or adelaide due to the matches being at the start of the test season)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Yeah, i think that is right, but have normal finishing time 8.30 instead of 8, gives people more chance to watch cricket
Trennt Cooper
Guest
Brett are you sure your name isn't David Gyngell? In all seriousness now I think it is the way of the future. I played in a T20 comp in Queenstown 2007-08 with a pink ball add found it visually fine in the field. Even when it worn down a bit it got a bit lighter in color which was better then the grey green the white ball goes. Time wise move it forward half an hour to an hour and it will be perfect. The more cricket we can watch after work during the week the better. I think it will start in Australia and slowly spread around the Cricketing world as they their grounds up to scratch light wise. Either that or the ICC could fund the transition for the poorer nations.
James
Guest
my only worry with playing at night in test cricket is that it will require grounds to have lights. this is no real worries for richer nations but for poorer ones, ones that are more concerned with feeding their people rather than spending money on elite sports it can be a problem. im not against playing tests at night but it really should be something that happens every now and again rather than the accepted norm.
josh
Roar Rookie
The ball will be pink. From what I've seen on YouTube mostly, the pink ball is somewhat brighter even in daytime conditions. A twilight shield match over summer at the my local ground may just entice me to go to the ground.
Rob Barrow
Guest
Twilight cricket will be a interesting concept, looking forward to it.
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
Very interesting article Brett, I think a lot of what you say makes a lot of sense personally. Test Cricket needs to evolve to survive.
Don Corleone
Guest
Good article. Last year the mid-week test TV audiences averaged around 300k morning session, 600k afternoon session and 900k-1million evening session. The post-6pm session would most certainly maintain up around the million TV viewers going by the recent combined Ashes audiences on Gem and Fox Sports. Twilight first-class and test cricket just makes sense for everyone involved.
cwrigh13
Roar Rookie
seems legit