Jamaica’s Sabina Park in Kingston is set to host its inaugural day-night Test match this July. The West Indies cricket team will face Australia in this pink-ball contest, marking a historic moment for Jamaican cricket.
Michael Holding, a celebrated Jamaican cricketer, shared his positive anticipation for the upcoming match.
Cricket West Indies authorities have officially confirmed the news. Sabina Park is currently undergoing upgrades, including the installation of enhanced floodlights to meet the specific requirements for day-night Test matches using a pink ball. Daley Redcliffe, head of the Kingston Cricket Club, corroborated the plans for a day-night match during the summer.
Courtney Francis, CEO of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), emphasized the historical importance of this Test match for both the JCA and Jamaica. He noted the significant investment from the Jamaican Government, in partnership with the JCA and Cricket West Indies (CWI), to improve the lighting infrastructure and introduce a new electronic scoreboard before the Test. Francis expressed confidence in the preparations and enthusiasm for hosting a successful match.
Sabina Park is jointly managed by Sabina Park Holdings, the JCA, and KCC. These entities are collaborating closely to ensure the smooth execution of the Test match. They have received assurances of funding for the project from Jamaica’s Minister of Sport.
Jamaica’s Minister of Sport, Olivia Grange, mentioned the commitment to allocate funds through the Sports Development Foundation. She also referred to ongoing administrative complexities involving Sabina Park Holdings, Kingston Cricket Club, and the JCA. Despite existing lighting at the venue, upgrades are essential to accommodate a day-night Test.
This upcoming match will be only the second pink-ball Test held in the Caribbean region. The first was in 2018, when the West Indies played against Sri Lanka in Barbados. Sri Lanka won that match by four wickets.
The concept of day-night Test matches has not yet gained widespread popularity globally. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), for instance, has been hesitant to incorporate it regularly into their cricketing calendar, citing concerns about the duration of pink-ball Tests.
Since the first day-night Test in 2015 between Australia and New Zealand, a total of 23 such matches have been played worldwide. Australia has hosted the majority, with 13 matches, while India has hosted three. New Zealand and UAE (hosted by Pakistan) have each hosted two, and England, South Africa, and West Indies have each hosted one.
