New Zealand’s first Test against England to be day-night affair

New Zealand's first Test against England at Eden Park in Auckland next year will be played under lights, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed on Monday.

The development came after an independent committee of the Auckland Council opted to relax its rule of not allowing matches under lights in the city on Sundays, following a request from the Eden Park Trust earlier this year. The Test, the first day-night, pink-ball Test in New Zealand, is scheduled to start at 2 pm local time on March 22.

Anthony Crummy, the NZC chief operating officer, was glad that the approval had come through, and hoped the Test would attract fans who might not have been able to make it to a day game.

“This is a very important outcome for Test cricket lovers in New Zealand – simply because it allows us the opportunity to play the game at a time when more people can engage with it,” said Crummy. “NZC has a particular focus on improving access to cricket for everyone. Being able to stage the Test as a day-nighter is a significant step in the right direction.

“This means we can promote cricket in its most modern and vibrant incarnation; we can improve accessibility for new audiences, and we can showcase Eden Park, Auckland and New Zealand to a truly global audience.”

The Eden Park game will most likely be the seventh day-night Test for men and the eighth overall, unless Pakistan host Sri Lanka in a day-nighter in the UAE later this year.

Three of the five day-night Tests so far have been staged in Australia, including the inaugural fixture between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide in November 2015. Australia will also host the sixth men's pink-ball Test during this summer's Ashes series in Adelaide in November, while the first women's day-night Test will take place between Australia and England at North Sydney Oval from November 9.