The Dilemma of Fading Light

The cricket matches of different types played all over the world end up differently. In the test match category, most of the contests end in draws while the rest finish in a result, victory for one side and defeat for the other. A test may also end in a tie but only once in a blue moon. The oneday internationals designed to provide the highest level of fun and entertainment to the spectators are supposed to end in a result but there are some tied matches on record too.

Quite a few matches are abandoned on account of bad weather and other unplayable conditions. Worse is the situation when a match faces the danger of a call off on account of fading light when the stakes are high. Still the worst is when the play is allowed to continue to achieve result amidst hazards of poor visibility with the possibility of even the players being hurt. This is precisely what happened during the fateful last evening of the 3rd and final test between England and Pakistan at Karachi. The incident left Pakistan licking the wounds of an avoidable defeat while England celebrated the historical triumph and the experts embroiled in a controversy whether the light option given only to the batsmen was the right thing?

The England team's visit of Pakistan after a lapse of 13 years created lot of excitement among the cricket lovers. The matches between the two sides produced good cricket and were by and large quite enjoyable. One could not, however, imagine that the last encounter would bring the anti-climax to an otherwise thrilling series. The England team deserved the credit for finally defeating Pakistan in poor light and winning the series. A special credit must also go to those who frame rules of the game without stretching their imagination and giving little thought to the possible eventualities.

The first two tests having drawn with some sterling performances by players from both sides, the two teams were considered evenly balanced. Notwithstanding the scenario of fading light on the fateful evening, the last test was also poised to be any body's game. England needed 176 runs to win in 44 overs, a target well within its reach if attempted in one-day match style or not if Pakistan could put up a better fight and the play was not extended to the blues of a starry night.

The records show that the play was called off at around 5.20 p.m. on the first four evenings of the match on account of bad light, irrespective of the fact whether the stipulated number of overs were bowled or not. Surprisingly on the last evening the plea for poor light was rejected and the game allowed to proceed till 5.50.p.m, to let England achieve victory even at the peril of injury to players.

England required around 20 runs to achieve the target when the light was down. The game continued in awfully poor visibility, creating the conditions of a cricket match for the blind. It happened because the umpires rejected a bad light appeal by skipper Moin Khan giving the option to the two batsmen on the crease. The umpires perhaps followed the rule blindly burying their own power of discretion at such a critical moment.

It was so dark that a player could see only the ghost of the other. The batsman being only 22 yards away from the bowler could possibly see the shadow of a moving ball but it was not so for the fielders standing at 75 yards. They were running in different directions because they were following the calls of the fielders rather than judging the stroke played by the batsmen. The advantage was certainly not equal for the two sides. Having 6 wickets in hand, a small target to achieve and the victory in sight with the light option in their favor, England would have chosen to play even till dawn. A mockery was made of the glorious game of cricket.

Disenchanted with the last hour's proceedings of the match, many experts of the game have come out with their comments and suggestions. Javed Miandad the erstwhile Coach of the Pakistan team conveyed his displeasure to Match Referee Ranjan Madhugale on continuation of the game despite poor light. He also discussed the issue with the umpires stressing the point, "If the light was not good to extend the match beyond 5.20 p.m. on other days, why it was taken to extra time on the final day"? He recommends that the game's governing body should give equal opportunity to the fielding side to refuse to play against bad light.

Quoting Rule-3 (d) of the Umpires Manual, Khizer Hayat who remained on the ICC's Panel of International Umpires for many years and supervised matches during three World Cup tournaments, expressed the view that the umpires were quite competent to stop play if they considered that the players could get hurt on account of bad light. He mentioned an instance when in 1985 a One Day International between Pakistan and West Indies at Gujranwala was called off for bad light, by him in consultation with the other umpire. The Windies were declared the winners.

Star wicket-keeper batsman Alec Stewart who was a hero of England's triumph is of the opinion that flood lights where available, must be used in test matches to avoid the play being curtailed by bad light. He emphasized its importance both for the benefit of the spectators as well as the players, whether they were batting or bowling. It may be interesting to know that in this particular case, England captain Nasser Hussain was offered the use of flood lights, which he refused to accept.

Former Pakistan captain and coach Intikhab Alam is of the view that such incidents only occur at the places where enough light is not available to complete the stipulated 90 overs per day. At such match centers, the duration of test matches should be six days instead of five.

Recapitulating the unpleasant Karachi episode in the light of the views and opinions of the experts, it would be quite appropriate to suggest that the matter must be discussed at the ICC level to find a suitable remedy. Javed Miandad's suggestion that like the batsmen, the option to play under bad light must also be extended to the fielding side appears well worth considering. To maintain the glory and charm of cricket and to attract the crowds back to the test match venues, the rules of the game must be periodically revised in the light of experience gained through incidents that occur from time to time.