Inzamam demands six-day Tests during Pakistan winter by AFP

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Player:	Inzamam-ul-Haq
Event:	West Indies in Pakistan 2006/07

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DateLine: 16th November 2006

 

Inzamam-ul-Haq Thursday urged the International Cricket Council to play six-day Tests during the winter in Pakistan to reduce the impact of bad light and poor weather.

 

"We lost 15 overs a day because of poor natural light," said the Pakistani captain of the first Test against the West Indies in Lahore, which his side nevertheless won by nine wickets inside four days, finishing Tuesday.

 

"I think now it is time that we should start playing six-day Test matches in those cities where sun sets early," Inzamam added.

 

Heavy fog rules out an early start to play in Lahore and other Test venues such as Multan and Faisalabad in Pakistan's Punjab province, while bad light curtails play in the evenings.

 

Last year the Pakistan Cricket Board also urged the ICC to consider six-day Tests in winter here and experimented with orange cricket balls in domestic matches to combat the problem of poor light.

 

"If we play a six-day Test match with 75 overs a day during the winter season it would be good for cricket and it won't put pressure on the teams," Inzamam said.

 

"It is difficult to pull crowds in stadiums with shortened days."

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)