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Cricket begins new Innings after dusk

Apurv Shukla – For Web Edition-Cricket begins new Innings- Apurv Shukla

New Zealand and Australia will play the first ever Cricket Test Match under lights in Adelaide later this year.

It was amongst a raft of announcements made by New Zealand Cricket recently.

These include the Black Caps playing Australia seven times over the next eight years in various formats of the game.

The Day-Night Test Match beginning on November 27 at Adelaide Oval will be the last of a Three Test series, in which the first two matches will be played in the conventional setup.

Dark days

For Web Edition-Cricket begins new Innings-The Pink Kookaburra BallTest Cricket provides the perfect barometer to judge a players skill set and their mental toughness. It is accorded the highest respect by players and fans across the globe, but has been struggling to remain a commercially viable product in recent times at the back of dwindling attendance in stadia and falling television viewership.

During the day most people are at work, and children at school.

Day-Night cricket seeks to overcome these obstacles by being played in a time slot, which has seen a huge uptake of One day and T-20 cricket.

Pioneers’ Overs

Cricket Australia has been the pioneer of Day-Night Cricket.

For the past it has organised Sheffield Shield games (premier Australian domestic Championship) under lights with a Pink Kookaburra Ball.

All feedback especially about the Kookaburra Balls has been taken on board, and efforts made to overcome shortcomings.

The biggest challenge for players has been that the Kookaburra Balls lose their shape and swing much sooner than traditional cricket balls. Fielders also find it hard to pick it up as the day goes on. With players still wearing the traditional whites when playing under lights, it presents a new scenario for them to grasp.

Historic proofs

Scepticism was raised when Kerry Packer started the World Series of Cricket in 1977.

He presented the game under lights, with coloured clothing to world for the first time- and Cricket has never looked the same again.

When T-20 Cricket started it was written off by some doubters as nothing more than a hit and a giggle. The burgeoning T-20 Leagues across the world and the commercial success of this product though, tell a different story.

Like everything else in life, Test Cricket also needs to evolve to remain relevant.

The success of the Day-Night Test Match will benefit the game as a whole.

Newer audiences will be attracted to the game, and the additional revenues generated will help to strengthen grass roots cricket.

Photo:

  1. The Pink Kookaburra Ball spins early
  2. The Adelaide Oval is a perfect pitch for Day-Night Cricket

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