Stewart urges change

13 April 2012

Alec Stewart has urged Pakistan's cricketing authorities to reconsider staging day-night one-day internationals in future after struggling in "diabolical" conditions during the current series.  

As Pakistan and England square up to each other for the deciding contest in the three-match series at the Rawalpindi Stadium on Monday, Stewart believes the problems of playing night cricket in this part of the world have to be addressed.

Heavy dew, which saturated the ball on the wet outfield in the opening match at Karachi and forced the two other matches to be brought forward two hours, has been a common cause of complaint from both sides.

England were also forced to field surrounded by a heavy cluster of flies at Lahore on Friday, prompting Darren Gough to wear sunglasses and Craig White to don a cap in an attempt to prevent flies hitting them in the eyes as they ran in to bowl.

It is these problems which Stewart believes have to be tackled before the Pakistan Cricket Board, who would attract just as much interest in tickets for matches during daylight hours, schedule any future one-day internationals in this country.

"The conditions the other night were the most uncomfortable I've ever played in," claimed Stewart.

"They have a dew problem here and there are also the flies, you can't just put lights up for the sake of it and play games in these type of conditions.

"In the first game, Pakistan couldn't grip the ball because of the dew and when we bowled the other night, the dew was there again and the flies were diabolical.

"I know the batsmen had to put up with those conditions as well, but you shouldn't have to play in them. The conditions have to be good, not just for the players but for the people watching as well."

Criticising the conditions for day-night cricket has been a recurring theme for Stewart, who claimed the lights were nowhere near good enough to play international matches during the triangular tournament against West Indies and Zimbabwe last summer.

"I said after the day-night matches we had at home that I didn't think the lighting was good enough and hopefully something will happen there, and if day-night conditions don't work in any particular country, no matter which it is, then they shouldn't be played," he stressed.

"If they get the lights right in England then there is no reason why they shouldn't play day-nighters, but don't just play these games for the sake of it.

"In Lahore, there were millions of flies out there and Goughie even tried wearing sun-glasses, but I couldn't as wicketkeeper because it alters the light when you put them on."

Even former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram is a supporter of Stewart's stance, and revealed there was a similar problem with flies a couple of years ago.

"We had flies like that in a match two or three years ago and they sprayed the whole ground during the interval and they went away," he said.

"If they had asked the players the other night, we would have suggested doing the same again."

England, though are refusing to become distracted by the issue and are focusing firmly on their chance to win the one-day series and provide the squad with a timely boost as they begin the countdown to the opening Test in Lahore on November 15.

"Winning any series is an achievement because you can only beat who you are up against, but beating Pakistan in Pakistan would be a superb effort," claimed Stewart.

"We've not played in these conditions since 1993 when we toured India and Sri Lanka, and that's been it as far as this part of the world is concerned so we're all pretty foreign to it."

Soundly beaten in Lahore by eight wickets, England may consider changes to their lower order in an attempt to strengthen the batting line-up after losing six wickets for 23 runs and scoring only 34 off the last 10 overs.

Gloucestershire all-rounder Mark Alleyne could make his first appearance for England since the recent victory over Bangladesh in Nairobi, possibly as a replacement for Craig White as he offers greater batting strength down the order.

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