Test cricket under lights?

[four_or_six]

Urgh, I'm changing my mind about it if there'll be more drunkeness. Worst thing about watching tests at the groud, that.

[GIMH]

I meant in my house. Would have a beer watching at home at night.

Would make no difference to my consumption at the ground.

[four_or_six]

Originally Posted by GeraintIsMyHero

I meant in my house. Would have a beer watching at home at night.

Would make no difference to my consumption at the ground.

Lol, I'll let you off then.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by GeraintIsMyHero

It would up TV viewing.

Maybe. If it was on FTA TV, then maybe we'd talk. On subscription Sky, the difference will not be significant. Plenty of Sky subscribers will take time off work to watch Tests.

Would also result in me drinking a lot more tbh

You should be against it and for it, then.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

That's circular logic. That could be used to disallow helmets, or covered pitches, or a black player as captain of West Indies cricket team for that matter.

It couldn't. Each of those enriched the game, sometimes beyond measure. Day\night Test cricket might enrich it in some parts, but in others, it would make no difference whatsoever.

[four_or_six]

Originally Posted by Richard

Maybe. If it was on FTA TV, then maybe we'd talk. On subscription Sky, the difference will not be significant. Plenty of Sky subscribers will take time off work to watch Tests.

They do? I don't know anyone who takes time off work to watch cricket.

[GingerFurball]

Originally Posted by Richard

Maybe. If it was on FTA TV, then maybe we'd talk. On subscription Sky, the difference will not be significant. Plenty of Sky subscribers will take time off work to watch Tests.

I doubt that very much.

I would wager that the vast majority of people in the UK who subscribe to Sky Sports do it primarily to watch Premiership (and SPL in Scotland) football, guess what, football is played at times which don't clash with a Monday to Friday, 9 till 5 lifestyle.

Plenty of those people might also like cricket, but I would wager that their viewing of an Ashes Test would involve watching the full day's play at the weekend, and maybe sneaking away from work early to catch the evening session, at most.

[GIMH]

Originally Posted by Richard

Maybe. If it was on FTA TV, then maybe we'd talk. On subscription Sky, the difference will not be significant. Plenty of Sky subscribers will take time off work to watch Tests.

You should be against it and for it, then.

Originally Posted by four_or_six

They do? I don't know anyone who takes time off work to watch cricket.

I took a few weeks off in the summer for the Ashes...wound up having a couple of days cancelled, happened to include Broad decimating the pathetic excuse for a..er I mean Australia...anyway, yeah used a lot of hols for the Ashes. I know dav has done the same in the past, and Woodster mentions it now and again

BUT

1 - people with X000 posts and then some on a cricket forum are very much an exception for this sort of thing
2 - I didn't have much else to use my hols on last year
3 - Generally people have between 20 and 25 holidays a year (some may have more, but it's rare). To book every non-weekend day of the home Test summer off would mean 21 days leave (18 this year).

In short, viewing figures would DEFINITELY go up, FTA or not

What are sky sports' numbers like these days anyhow? I mean I'm broke all the time and I still have it

[four_or_six]

Originally Posted by GeraintIsMyHero

I took a few weeks off in the summer for the Ashes...wound up having a couple of days cancelled, happened to include Broad decimating the pathetic excuse for a..er I mean Australia...anyway, yeah used a lot of hols for the Ashes. I know dav has done the same in the past, and Woodster mentions it now and again

BUT

1 - people with X000 posts and then some on a cricket forum are very much an exception for this sort of thing
2 - I didn't have much else to use my hols on last year
3 - Generally people have between 20 and 25 holidays a year (some may have more, but it's rare). To book every non-weekend day of the home Test summer off would mean 21 days leave (18 this year).

In short, viewing figures would DEFINITELY go up, FTA or not

What are sky sports' numbers like these days anyhow? I mean I'm broke all the time and I still have it

Well yeah, when I said 'don't know' I mean irl, I remember quite a few people on here seem to.

I dunno about Sky's figures. Maybe more people will watch at the pub or in sports clubs if it's in the evening, too.

[GingerFurball]

Originally Posted by Richard

It couldn't. Each of those enriched the game, sometimes beyond measure. Day\night Test cricket might enrich it in some parts, but in others, it would make no difference whatsoever.

Might enrich it?

Surely Test cricket is enriched by playing it in front of packed crowds as opposed to playing it in empty concrete bowls?

The viewing experience on TV (particularly when watching matches played on the subcontinent) I personally find is massively enhanced when there's a good crowd in.

[GIMH]

Yeah, I was more agreeing with you tbh, yeah I've done but it's well rare. Unlikely I'd do it outside of the Ashes, except for a match I'm attending, I like to take the days around it off as well

(cue people moaning about English obsession with the Ashes blablabla )

[four_or_six]

Originally Posted by GeraintIsMyHero

Yeah, I was more agreeing with you tbh, yeah I've done but it's well rare. Unlikely I'd do it outside of the Ashes, except for a match I'm attending, I like to take the days around it off as well

(cue people moaning about English obsession with the Ashes blablabla )

I'd maybe take a day off for an England world cup football semi-final if it was in the wrong time zone. I can't think of anything else though.

[vcs]

Some interesting replies here.. thanks all.

I think many of the potential issues will come to the fore only if it is tried out at some level, so I think it deserves a chance for that reason alone. As long as the curators and groundsmen can provide a decent contest between bat and ball, I can't see a big downside.