Sabina Park to stage historic day/night Test match

KINGSTON: President of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), Dr Donovan Bennett, has expressed cautious optimism that Sabina Park will host its first-ever day/night pink- ball Test match this July when Australia visit the Caribbean.

As previously reported in the local media, Cricket Australia requested that the third Test against the West Indies be played as a day/night encounter.

This move aligns with the preference of Australian fans, who are eager to explore the island’s attractions during the day while enjoying cricket under the lights in the evening. However, the proposal hinges on the completion of necessary upgrades to the floodlights at Sabina Park.

Dr Bennett confirmed that the JCA has secured funding from the Jamaican government to upgrade the lighting system, with the new equipment set to be shipped from the UK. Additionally, a state-of-the-art scoreboard from India is expected to be installed ahead of the July deadline.

Alongside the third Test, Sabina Park will also host two T20 matches between the West Indies and Australia, both scheduled as night games. While preparations are well under way, Dr Bennett emphasised that final approval from Cricket West Indies is still pending.

“CWI has not yet signed off on it. However, we have assured them that the lighting upgrades will be completed, as we have already secured the funds from the government and paid for the lights. The equipment is being shipped from England, so we are confident everything will be in place. I am almost certain it will be a pink-ball Test, but we must await the final decision from the Cricket West Indies before confirming.”

The last time the Australians played a Test match at Sabina Park was June 2015, when the visitors defeated the West Indies by 277 runs. CMC