Test Cricket at night?

There seems to be a determined push from some quarters to impose night Tests on the cricket fraternity with the hope that average daily attendances will improve.

To determine whether night cricket will achieve that objective we need to ascertain what factors caused the decline in average crowds in Test cricket and whether anything can be done to address those issues. Second, we have to assess whether there are any impediments to playing Test matches at night.

There are many factors which have affected interest in Test cricket and average daily attendances. First, there are more countries playing Test cricket since 1970 (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and to a lesser extent New Zealand and South Africa). Consequently, the new Test playing countries’ nationals aren’t steeped in cricket history and don’t have the same affection for Test cricket as those from say England and Australia who were born into it. Furthermore, those countries don’t attract the same interest when they are playing in England and Australia. Second, the Indian board has put Test cricket on the backburner and allowed ODI and Twenty/20 to cannibalise it. Third, these days, societies throughout the world demand instant gratification and Test cricket therefore has taken a backseat to Twenty/20 for the younger generation. Fourth, the traditional supporters of Test cricket have been men and in this new world of equality men do not get the same time away from their families as they used to. Fifth, television now supplies the majority of income and every session is televised live which affects attendances. Sixth, holding world championships for ODIs and Twenty/20 have further undermined the status of Test cricket.   

Unfortunately, I can’t see how night cricket would have a great effect on the above six issues which led to a declining interest on Test cricket. To compound the issue no one has been able to solve the ball issue. Lights are hardly ever used when bad light stops play in Tests now and that would suggest that we are not ready. We also don’t know if the pink ball is good enough. I have heard players involved in experimental matches say that we are still a long way from making a ball that will be acceptable to batsmen under lights. We have been playing ODI night matches for some thirty four years now and manufacturers are still incapable of making a white ball that lasts the distance. The current playing condition requires a ball change at 34 overs.

ODIs and T/20 matches are played as night matches in the main and at least for the time being we should leave it at that.