England’s first floodlit tie is a big success

BIRMINGHAM, July 24: Lights. Cameras. ActionEngland's first floodlit competitive county match between Warwickshire and Somerset at Edgbasto...

BIRMINGHAM, July 24: Lights. Cameras. Action

England’s first floodlit competitive county match between Warwickshire and Somerset at Edgbaston had it all, and now there is a push to have day-night games in the 1999 World Cup.

A crowd of 15,174 flocked to the county and Test-match ground on Wednesday night to see Warwickshire earn a 35-run win in the floodlit Axa Life League clash.

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Warwickshire made a profit of 70,000 pounds — staggering return for one evening considering the club’s total revenue through the turnstiles last season was just 40,000 pounds.

The pioneering venture was also beamed live across England by satellite company BSkyB, and Warwickshire chief executive Dennis Amiss is convinced day-night matches are the way of the future.

“What happened proves people want this sort of cricket and I’d like to think we can progress further and have more evening matches under floodlights,” said Amiss.

“We showed them people will come and watch cricket in the evening and maybe the England and Wales Cricket Board has to think this is the way forward, maybe for the World Cup. It’s food for thought for the ECB,” added the former England Test batsman.

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But ECB operation manager John Carr felt it would be too early to make such a decision.

Anurag Singh scored 86 off 105 balls, sharing an opening stand of 113 with Neil Smith (59) before Warwickshire reached 224 in its designated 40 overs.Warwickshire then bowled out Somerset for 189 and the win took them to the top of Axa Life League.