Test Matches at Night

[Hodge is God]

What are your thoughts on the proposal of having day/night test matches?

Are you for or against the idea?

 

[Ducky Tie]

If they could make it have no effect on the game, I'd be on board. That will be very tough to do though.

 

[Torz]

The red ball wouldn't stay though, would it? Unless there's a change to pink balls or something once the lights are on. You can't get rid of the red ball!

Like tomsimpkin31 said, if it doesn't change much in the way the games work I have no qualms.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

All sorts of things would need to be sorted, the ball is one. Some venues would also be inapporpriate, through dew and other issues. Even fog might be a problem somewhere like Leeds.
It doesn't need to start under lights though, some places far enough north or south have sunset late enough that play could continue under natural light until 8pm or later. If Scotland was a Test nation, they could almost play until 10pm under natural light in the peak of summer.

 

[Kyptastic]

Night test matches (at least on the east coast) would be scheduled in a way so that you could have the News during the Tea break. So, have a half hour tea (was mentioned in the new playing conditions that the lunch and tea breaks can be changed to 30mins each, rather than 40/20) starting at 6pm and session 3 goes from 6.30-8.30/9.00. In the middle of summer, you're playing with lights for an hour, hour and a half tops. If they can sort the ball issue they should go for it.

 

[Miqar_Baqfhied]

There is no way playing tests at night wont produce suspect results. Dew, light all factors. When they were trying night Shield games last year some team lost 5/4 or something.

Playing test cricket with a pink at night - its just not cricket.

 

[GOAUS!]

They've been talking about trying to get a good ball for years, I'm guessing it's going to take them a little while longer to develop one that can be seen at night and doesn't wear as easily. Once they have then it will happen.

 

[eth-dog]

If they could make it have no effect on the game, I'd be on board. That will be very tough to do though.

this sums it up perfectly IMO

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Do not want, to be honest.

 

[The Passenger]

i think it's a great idea but they need a lot of testing at club and state level first.

the effects of dew, fog, and tropical weather is very very high around sundown.

then obviously the degradation of the ball is an issue

it's gonna be hard to get it to work but if they can i think it'll be a real spinner for test cricket.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

This decision is just so typical of the ICC. They go ahead and amend the regulation to allow it with the agreement of both boards, but have insufficient measures in place for it to happen any time soon without a massive shitfight breaking out.

DRS anyone?

I am just amazed they've bothered to put this out there when for the best part of the last decade most boards have been trialling different balls to use at night with the white clothing and nothing has come of it. And yet they go ahead and announce to the world "we're ready!!" when they're just ******* not. If this ever gets off the ground, it will only be Bang vs Zim or something so none of the princesses in the major sides get their averages tampered with. Only benefit I can see is that it might get Bang and Zim more frequent tours of major nations if extra TV money (for primetime) can be secured.

 

[lewigie]

So the players will be out on the pitch from about 10 to 8?

 

[DrVanNostrand]

So the players will be out on the pitch from about 10 to 8?

Days are only 7 hours long, six (usually an extra 30 mins) playing and 1 hour combined lunch/tea.

I'd say it would be similar hours for a day/night ODI, perhaps 2pm-9pm.

 

[The Passenger]

This decision is just so typical of the ICC. They go ahead and amend the regulation to allow it with the agreement of both boards, but have insufficient measures in place for it to happen any time soon without a massive shitfight breaking out.

Must admit I've only just had a quick scan of the news today after not really looking at much in the last few days. Going off your post I'm assuming they have said that if the two boards agree they can play a day/night test match?

If so that is absolute madness because we clearly haven't worked out the best way to approach the guys nor has there been nor enough testing. The testing really should begin at club level getting them to play games at stadiums like SCG/MCG etc,. and see how they go and then move it onto state games....

In reality we should be about two years away from getting day night test matches happening.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

In reality we should be about two years away from getting day night test matches happening.

I would say it should be further than that. It rewuires about two years of successful testing. The pink ball so far has failed its tests. So, it will require at least one more attempt at a ball (and its been attempted for 15 years now) an then two years.
I would think that would be a minimum of three years, probably more - my fear is it will be 12 months and next summer's Tests put at severe risk.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Could never have a day night test match at the Gabba. The conditions would favour the bowling side too much once it got dark.

 

[damochandler]

cricket australia are liking it because the tv deal is up at the end of this summer.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

cricket australia are liking it because the tv deal is up at the end of this summer.

And that's why I'm worried we might see it next summer, rather than doing proper testing and knowing things are ready.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Must admit I've only just had a quick scan of the news today after not really looking at much in the last few days. Going off your post I'm assuming they have said that if the two boards agree they can play a day/night test match?

If so that is absolute madness because we clearly haven't worked out the best way to approach the guys nor has there been nor enough testing. The testing really should begin at club level getting them to play games at stadiums like SCG/MCG etc,. and see how they go and then move it onto state games....

In reality we should be about two years away from getting day night test matches happening.

Exactly. It's a joke, nothing but a half-baked decision in order to appear as if they 'have the ball rolling'.

It could never work in the subcontinent due to dew. Plenty of grounds in the Windies and NZ don't have lights. Zim couldn't afford the electricity. That leaves South Africa, Australia and England, all of which are already home to the most bowler-friendly conditions in world cricket.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

I couldn't give a toss to be honest. I heard Kim Hughes wanking on about how hawrd it is for batsmen. Who gives a shit - it is still equal for both sides.

Tradition for traditions sake is ridiculous. If it drags more people through the gate and more to watch on TV - then that is a good thing.

BUT, it can't happen unless an appropriate ball is developed. Until then it is a pipedream

 

[Parquet Court]

the ball is just not ready from what i have heard.

for the ball to be test ready, it has to get through the 80 and more, the white ball is done after 30 overs or so and the pink ball they tried just stays hard as a rock and doesnt move.

the conditions shouldnt really factor into it, daylight savings means that there wont be an awful lot of play in the dark (australia and UK).

 

[stmookeyj]

It's simply not needed in half the country, and ratings wise I'd be salivating with a lineup of 2nd rate programs to take on and beat the cricket if I were Channel 7.

 

[Wallaby]

Quote from Andrew Hughes (Cricinfo)

" Captain Sutherland of Cricket Australia’s crack Administrative Procrastination Squad has announced that he is, in theory, broadly in favour of the idea of day-night Test cricket. Announcing that you are broadly in favour of the idea of day-night Test cricket has become a sort of magic spell for administrators. If they repeat it often enough, they hope it will save Test cricket, and at the same time save them from having to do anything to save Test cricket."

 

[Cousin Jed]

Saying that test cricket needs to be saved is like the magic spell for journos when they have nothing to write about. If they repeat it often enough it will save them from having to do any real journalism.

 

[XFactor1979]

its a tv idea more than anything else
eastern staters have it good for the perth test.And the ashes from england is compulsory night time viewing

However test cricket is a traditional game which has not changed and to play the game at night in the eastern states is a copout to tv

it might satisfy viewers in the uk, watching cricket first thing in the morning when they wake up. but to change the game to be played at night? thats not cricket!

also, what will that do to odis?

whatever it is: there'll be a lot less workers with an excuse to 'take the day off work' because they were 'conveniently sick' if this was to follow through

however, to make another point: 2 out of the 4 days falling on a weekday is more or less the same as a golf tournament. but nobody is arguing for the golf to be played at night!