Day-Night Test Cricket

Rahul Dravid has backed calls for the introduction of day-night Tests to revive interest in the five-day game, and for a reduction in the volume of meaningless one-day cricket.

The ODI reduction I agree with but the day-night idea which I can understand the reasoning for, but do not want, (maybe because I am too much of a traditionalist) should be put on the back burner for a while longer imo, to see if things improve.

Would any of you guys support day-night Test cricket?

Erm, not initially - no. I am similar to you in that I love cricket in its traditional sense, and as such wouldn't want to see such changes. Of course, I'll back it if it really is for the good of the game, and has too many positive effects to ignore, but I'm not so sure that is the case at the moment.

Take England for example, our Test matches are almost always sold out regardless of whether it falls on a week day or the weekend, do day/nighters wouldn't make too much of a difference here, you wouldn't think.

I very much like the situation of batsmen holding out for stumps as the light dwindles. Also, I like a red cricket ball - pink seems a little strange?

IMO day night test cricket dosent have a place in the game

im a traditionalist, and i dont want to see day night test cricket being played.

Glad you both agree.

I think in England the consensous would be a BIG NO to the idea, as you say FoF our grounds are (depending on the opposition) mostly full even on workdays. The same applied even when England were not so dominant.

But in Asia it may well be the way to go, because of the dwindling Test crowds there.

Yeah maybe. But then dew becomes a problem in Asia...

Personally, I don't mind as long as England keeps it traditional. Selfish, but it's how I like to see Test cricket.

Fists of Fury wrote:Yeah maybe. But then dew becomes a problem in Asia...

[quote]

Very true.

Maybe Dravid should stick to batting

Aggers has responded on Twitter and said he is "totally anti" day/night Test cricket.

I think it's an excellent idea (and I don't say that just to be contrary) if a few of the problems (what ball, dew factor, twilight etc) can somehow be solved. I don't agree with tradition for tradition's sake. Busy right now, so shall say more on the subject later.

I think that it is something which is definitely worth considering. I would start by trialling it in a 1-off Test (not part of a series) with two very willing teams in a part of the world where crowds are generally low for Tests (e.g. NZ or WI). I think the novelty would bring crowds in if these floodlit Tests were only occasional.

However, there are a number of issues:

- Ball. I think the pink ball is fine and batsmen should not wreck the idea by complaining about minor issues. If it looses it's colour too quickly on a regular basis there could always be a mandatory ball change in pink ball matches to keep things fair.
- Dew. They deal with it in one-day cricket and I think, rather like cloud cover during with the day, it should be something the players simply have to cope with and which could potentially favour one side or the other at different times during the match.
- Twilight. Clever scheduling of intervals could make this less of a problem. I think one option which should be considered is something along the lines of:

Afternoon Session - 14:00 - 16:00
Tea - 16:00 - 16:20
Evening Session - 16:20 - 18:20
Dinner - 18:20 - 19:00 (or slightly earlier or later to minimise impact of twilight period)
Night Session - 19:00 - 21:00/21:30

I'm in the "No" camp too.

It might work where test cricket is struggling for an audience but I wouldn't like to see it in England.

I think that's key, Aidan. If Test cricket isn't appealing to the masses i.e. people not taking days off work to pay for an expensive ticket, then yes, it'll need to be considered.

Tests in England at this time are however as packed as they ever were, so that day is some way off in this country at least.

There have been recent signs in India that it may be becoming the case, and if that is so then maybe the BCCI need to consider hosting day/night Tests there, but then the aforementioned dew and light issues need to be properly thought out.

Shelsey, good post, and as you say it could be trialled dependent upon location, but of course some areas of the world will possibly need day/night Tests more than others.

i played a game with a pink ball last season, found it a nightmare to keep wicket to because it was swinging so much and it would often swing late as well.

Jimmy Anderson will be an advocate then!

Except crowds aren't full for every match. Certainly when the West Indies were over here a couple of years back the grounds weren't full.

On the ball:
- France play a T20 tournament in Holland (against Holland A, Belgium and last year Jersey) with a pink ball. It works fine, albeit for T20. In fact the feedback from players is it is far better than a white ball, easier to see and keeps its shape longer.
- Dew: I think this could be an issue. It is all very well to say this is something which players will just have to cope with, but I don't watch test cricket to watch players struggle to grip the ball. Spinners could potentially be taken out of the game, which is not something anybody (apart from maybe Robin Smith, and it's a bit late for him) wants to see.
- Twilight: a minor issue as Shelley points out.

I don't think the idea "if it works why change?" is a particularly good one. The fact is, test cricket around the world isn't working. Only England fills their grounds regularly, even Australia are seemingly struggling (although I'm sure we'll see decent crowds for the India game). Part of this is of course the world financial crisis (people can't afford to take time off work), but as a way to get school-children into the game (which surely should be an aim) day-night cricket works great.

Personally I would like to see it trialed maybe in the county championship, or other domestic leagues, or even the intercontinental cup (4-day competition involving the best non-test playing nations). This would give us a good idea of
1) how feasible it is in terms of the problems outlined.
2) whether it brings in more crowds.

Let's face it, we won't know until we try.

It's certainly worth an experiment at some levels Mike, but at the same time they shouldn't put it anywhere near a Test match until they have sufficient feedback.

I wouldn't be quite so categorical. If (say) the West Indies and Bangladesh wish to try it out during a test series in the carribean then why not?

There's quite a bit of feedback on the pink ball for instance already. The main problem for me is the dew.

Incidentaly, Keith Bradshaw (now ex-chief-executive of the MCC) was (and I presume still is) a big fan.

Fists of Fury wrote:Jimmy Anderson will be an advocate then!

He certainly would be, it swings more for a bowler than a red ball. On the occasion I kept with the pink ball the ball was swing from starting as going down leg side with me needing to dive to away to the off side on one or two occasions.