I believe I'm not the only person who's been bored to death by a Test Match - Hours can pass without anything of note happening at all.

Thus I propose a radical new game: Cricket in pitch-blackness. Obviously the viewer's would have night-vision goggles, or could view the game on TV in infra-red (the umpires would also have this technology). The ball would emit a high-pitched whistling sound to help the batsmen/fielders work out where it is, and the stumps would glow in the dark.

Despite the obvious problem of there being a distinct lack of indoor cricket pitches, I believe that until the sport becomes popular enough to enable indoor-arenas to be built, normal indoor sport stadiums would be hijacked for this purpose.

P.S. I apologise to the person who posted a similar idea with table-tennis, and I look forward to the creation of a pitch-black sports association.
-- Mr Phase, Aug 10 2005

but this is excellent ping-pong_20ping-ball
[po, Aug 10 2005]

Rules of Blind Cricket http://www.cricinfo...ODE/BLIND_LAWS.html
FYI [ConsulFlaminicus, Aug 11 2005]

I think this would be good with glow-in the dark/flourescent stumps, bat, ball and shin-pads.

Or do you mean, completely 100% pitch black?
-- zen_tom, Aug 10 2005


Something similar exsists in the US. I do not remember where and as soon as I find out I will post it. But it is a black-light sport arena. Not quite a full one, but one big enough to have room to play small games of: tennis, volleyball, laser-tag, baseball, soccer, football, etc. I am not sure if it still exsists, but I am trying to find a link or something.
-- babyhawk, Aug 10 2005


too much like the pitch black table tennis. an echo in my opinion.

in fact, [marked-for-deletion]
-- po, Aug 10 2005


IMHO, pitch-black sports are rubbish. Similar sports for the blind occasionally have their merits but cricket played by sighted professionals in the dark is just daft.
If you are bored by watching Test Cricket then do something else (twitching your thumb to select a different channel for example!).
-- gnomethang, Aug 10 2005


Quite funny. gr. 'viewers'.

Tell them not to talk either, or they could find their way about by shouting at each other.
-- dbmag9, Aug 10 2005


Having thought it over, playing cricket in total darkness would be both boring and impossible. Various elements of the game would have to be lit - the bat, stumps, wiki's gloves, and possibly ball (although this might ruin it). Also, [gnomethang], I'm a great fan of cricket but feel that many people (including me) would enjoy a more exiting version of test cricket, which would draw more attention to the sport and encourage more young people to get involved.
-- Mr Phase, Aug 10 2005


i actually like cricket when compared to other sports-- its very inteliigent and based on skill that can only be mastered through practice and not just talent- maybe thats the reason that most people I know who are passionate cricket watchers/players are also middle aged... (from what I know) To make cricket a more interesting game? Wouldn't that ruin it's appeal? Like what one of the commentators was saying about the issue regarding Michael Vaughan--- that a footballer is praised for being able to run around for a whole 90mins, but a cricketer is also just as tough or atheletic, as he needs to be standing around for half the day!!

The fact that a match goes on for as long it does just adds to its suspense -- but having said that , if there is a test match on every other day then the appeal DOES wear off!

Going off on a tangent, I vaguely remember my father telling me of a time when cricket was played on seasons, and most of the action would take place in summer. Is that true? Have we enetered an age of gluttonous cricket watching and playing? where both cricketer and fan demand more from each other to the point where cricket is played as regualarly as football? Maybe that is it! Maybe its the fact that its no longer something to look forward to- but something that is always there to watch on sky sports 1/2/3 etc etc.

Going back to what Mr Phase is suggesting, maybe we need to shorten the length of the time played-- make it snappy and quick-- (like football). Maybe that would appeal to us youngsters. 20 overs each? In a day?
-- chocolateraindrops, Aug 10 2005


Thanks [Mr Phase] and point well made. BUT
we have 20/20 cricket to entertain the herd and for the purists this is an abomination ( I love it!).
Having said that, a 5 day test match is my idea of pure and unadulterated joy.
If you want to jolly things up a bit you could always light every item but the ball and then see what happens!.
-- gnomethang, Aug 10 2005


Pointless and impractical, but still not worthy of the halfbakery. Wouldn't it be easier to just put some blind people on the pitch and laugh at them?
-- baconbrain, Aug 11 2005


The ping pong in darkness was utterly ludicrous but made me laugh. This however just gets my fishbone and I'll leave it at that.
-- zeno, Aug 11 2005


\\i actually like cricket when compared to other sports-- its very inteliigent\\. There goes the irony meter again.
-- hidden truths, Aug 11 2005


thought this idea would include large flying creatures with huge jaws that would be swatted out of the way during play.
-- dentworth, Aug 12 2005



random, halfbakery