The idea may have purists, but a brand-new invention this week night matches played a pink ball is embraced by the world of county cricket. The idea is designed to breathe new life to the game, but how does it work? what’s a day night game? The most recent Round of County Championship games will start, not in the standard start time of 11am, but 3 hours later in 2pm, with play scheduled to continue until 9.30pm. Until it’s been limited to games, although the idea of playing into the evening is by no way a new one for cricket lovers.

Given these county matches are currently occurring after the year’s day, there will not really be night in these day night matches. The sunlight is not because of set until about 9.35pm the time that the matches is scheduled to complete, says Elizabeth Ammon of The Times. What’s the idea? To many the County Championship seems like a throwback to a different age and the four day game often struggles to be heard above the din of 21st century sport”, says Tom Collomosse of the London Evening Standard. However it has been propelled by the movement back. Part of the program is to prepare the players of England for the day night this summer, Test match to take place.

They’ve been published for this round of games to their own counties since they will need to get used to the ball. But there is more to it than that and the ECB are keen to see whether day night championship cricket might also bring an increase in the number of spectators, particularly if people would be interested enough to attend after work”, says Ammon of the Times. If it does prove popular, it would be no surprise to see it repeated annually, something which has already been discussed at a senior level”, agrees Collomosse. The county match rarely attracts big crowds.

Essex chief executive Derek Bowden tells this Daily Telegraph that it: Gives us a chance to market to an audience following work who wish to see cricket in this same way they do at T20, but are working when championship cricket has been played. The game on the whole needs some rejuvenating and scheduling games that could attract a different audience makes sense. The game needs to try different things to make different people watching cricket.”.

So why the pink ball? This is the key consideration,. Says Vic Marks of The Guardian. It’s more on the pink ball compared to floodlights, he says. And that is also where things become complicated. White balls are utilized in restricted overs games under lights, but can’t be utilized in county matches with the players they wear white.