Lord's to stage floodlit match

Lord's will stage its first floodlit match on September 10 when Middlesex take on Derbyshire in a Pro40 match. The fixture has been switched from Southgate after negotiations between the MCC, the ground's owners, and Westminster council resulted in approval for the erection of temporary lights.

"MCC is delighted to be hosting its first floodlit match at Lord's," said Keith Bradshaw, the club's chief executive and secretary. "We are pleased that the council has approved the use of temporary floodlights and are greatly looking forward to hosting another big occasion.

"This will be an historic match for all concerned, which I'm sure will prove popular with members and public alike. Lord's is a world-class venue and we're always looking at ways to maintain and improve our facilities. A match under temporary floodlights will not only end the season at Lord's on a high note, but will provide us with very useful information with regards the staging of such matches here."

The construction of permanent lights remains unlikely, but even being able to use temporary floodlights is a major breakthrough.