Colorful Day And Night Cricket Tests Coming Soon?

The traditional red ball of cricket has been facing growing threats of extinction over the years with the emergence of the white balls in day-n-night ODI and T20 matches. Now, with Test cricket under the ‘illuminated’ possibility the extinction threat is very real.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had yesterday in Dubai approved hosting day-n-night Test cricket matches. But the ICC has left the decision on the member cricket boards for bringing it into effect on bilateral cricket series and also to decide upon the type and the color of the ball to be used. Cricket Australia who had been clamoring for the day-n-night Tests has already welcomed the decision. Their contention has been that on week days night cricket would definitely bring in more crowds. No response is recorded from so far from the Indian cricket Board. The cash-rich Board is likely to consider it positively to rake in more money, but at the same time it has to think about the cost of electricity for five nights on a trot and existing facilities. The betters and the bookies would also welcome it as they could benefit from the changing pitch conditions, the uncertainties of the ball and the dew factor.

The ball is set to be the most nagging factor. The traditional red ball does not have enough visibility at night while the white ball used in ODIs and T20 is not as durable as the red one. Therefore, the quest will be on to find a durable ball in different suitable colors like the orange or pink.

Test cricket will no longer be the same if the decision is implemented. Fresh morning starts will be sorely missed by all, particularly the seam bowlers. Flat pitches and the night dew will make the matches dull and predictable. With the floodlights a lot of artificiality can creep in robbing the classic Test genre of its natural rhythm. Anyway, nothing certain can be foretold till we see the first day-n-night Test happen.

Meanwhile, England cricket team had arrived in India on October 29 and is playing their first practice match against IndiaA today in Mumbai. In a tour lasting for than two months there will four Tests, five ODIs and two T20 matches. As one more good news for avid cricket lovers the Indian Home Ministry has approved today the India tour of Pakistan this December. The visiting Pakistanteam will play three ODIs and two T20 matches in different venues across the country.

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