Hussain wants ICC to change its ‘bad light’ laws

ICC leaves it “solely for the umpires together to decide” whether bad light mean that “it would be dangerous or unreasonable for play to take place.” Hussain, who has scored 5764 runs in 96 Tests for England, feels perhaps the umpires can keep the players on the ground longer even if light might be considered poor.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain wants the ICC to revisit its regulations related to bad light which has affected Test matches over the years. The officials on Wednesday were forced to call off the opening day of the first Test between England and the West Indies due to bad light and rain which saw only 17.4 overs being bowled.

ICC leaves it “solely for the umpires together to decide” whether bad light mean that “it would be dangerous or unreasonable for play to take place.” Hussain, who has scored 5764 runs in 96 Tests for England, feels perhaps the umpires can keep the players on the ground longer even if light might be considered poor.

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“It’s one thing you have to try and explain to somebody new to the game. You spend a lot of money on lights, turn the lights on and go off for light. On this occasion, they’ve gone off for rain. It is something eventually that I’d like the ICC to change really,” Hussain said on Sky Sports Cricket.

“They might say ‘You’re a retired player’ and (talk about) stats, but look at that, the lights are on. If it wasn’t raining now, maybe the players could buy into the fact that the game needs to keep selling itself and if you can stay on, do stay on.” The bad light laws have come for criticism in the past. In 2013 Ashes series, chasing a target of 227, England required 21 off 24 balls with five wickets in hand when play was halted by the umpires due to bad light.

The bad light laws were again brought into question during the India vs Australia match at SCG in January last year when umpires called off play on the fourth day after ruling that light was poor to continue.