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[play-yourself-in]

Sitting in watching the rain and taking the dog out in freezing temperatures has made me think back to summers past and the glorious hours spent on a cricket field.  I then started thinking about how long a game can take sometimes on a saturday.  In past years our league has play 100 over games (53/47) and I can recall finishing some games in almost total darkness...what is the latest/darkest game you've had?

[Mr_Orange]

In the days when our league games started at 2pm a 8:30-9pm finish wasn't too uncommon, it used to get pretty dark at the start and end of the season.

[Churchy1989]

I remeber playing a game about 5/6 years ago down at Worthing Chips ground, last game of the season, whoever won the game would stay in that division and the other would be relegated........found the date, Saturday 29th August 2009.
http://scayneshill.play-cricket.com/website/results/1131676 (scorecard) and match report!

What the Match report doesnt say, is that the Captain changed the fielding position after every ball to delay the game. This proceeded 3-4 times every over. In the end they stayed up after delaying the game soo many times until it was too dark to play! The game was abandoned around 8:45pm! 4 hours and 15 mins to bowl 43 overs! It was dispicable! There were some stern words passed between the players after the game!

[uknsaunders]

Stopped by bad light by mutual consent in a 3rd XI game at 8.50pm. We had 3 overs to bat and 25 runs for another bonus point, while the oppo needed 2 wickets. Nobody was actually going to win (we had draws in our league) so we agreed the pub was a better option.

Had a few midweek games finishing in near darkness. However, I remember one friendly cup game we played in and all turned up at our ground only to find out it was an away game! We left at 6pm, travelled to the ground and started at 7pm. Thankfully being up North in Yorkshire, we had plenty of light in mid summer and finished at 9.45pm. We bowled them out with a few overs left but it was one of those rare glorious summer days in yorkshire when we could of easily played the whole game.

[Kevtheplumber]

we start at 1pm and its 45 overs each. Had a couple pushing 8:30 which doesn't go down too well at home. Id much rather start at 11am.

[Seniorplayer]

45 over match Due to rain went out to bat at 7.30pm match finished 8.40pm.

[WalkingWicket37]

Finished a midweek game in near darkness at 8.45 a couple of seasons ago.
It was a minefield of a pitch and the batsman couldn't see the ball properly, you even go as we as to say it was dangerous at the end!

[play-yourself-in]

To add to this we did beat a team in about 30 mins once, they only had 8, in fact they started batting with only 4 or 5 if I remember and had to hope the others would turn up...they were all out for about 25.  We opened the bar up early though.....that was a long night!!!!

[tim2000s]

Played a six-a-side tournament in Regent's Park a few years ago where we were in the Final and myself and our best batsman were out in the middle with an over to go at 9.35 trying to win the match. There's dark, and then there's just dangerous. No-one could really see the ball and we won it when he took a huge swipe at a high full toss that he edged at speed past the keeper for four, who clearly had no idea where the ball was as he couldn't see it.

[smilley792]

We played a final back in 2009.

We'd had a hefty rain delay both at the beginning and during. But the age old issue off "we've started the game at 45 overs so must complete it" meant the last 25 overs of there chase was in pitch black.

And I mean pitch black. I was on the cover boundary and had a patch of moonlight in front of me I could see. As I couldn't see the batsmen or bowler I looked at this patch hoping to see the ball move through it.

I'm not embarrassed to admit at one point I chased a bird 29 yards across the outfield, when the bowler had even bowled the ball yet. He was still setting his field.

[Number4]

We played a final back in 2009.

We'd had a hefty rain delay both at the beginning and during. But the age old issue off "we've started the game at 45 overs so must complete it" meant the last 25 overs of there chase was in pitch black.

And I mean pitch black. I was on the cover boundary and had a patch of moonlight in front of me I could see. As I couldn't see the batsmen or bowler I looked at this patch hoping to see the ball move through it.

I'm not embarrassed to admit at one point I chased a bird 29 yards across the outfield, when the bowler had even bowled the ball yet. He was still setting his field.

Maybe Specsavers can help

http://youtu.be/l9R8Id37C90

[Seniorplayer]

Midweek match on the summer solstice  day finished at 9.35pm will always remember it has it was still hot and seeing the  bright  orange sun go down

[Thesmiff]

Don't recall an actual time but played in many a game when the last few overs the street lights where handy on the other side of the club wall

[TangoWhiskey]

We played a T20 game midweek starting at 6.30 a couple of years ago in early May. I was batting in about the 17th over and knew it was dark, but I'd been in for about 15 overs so I was just about seeing it. I got out having made 70 odd, went into the changing room and when I came back out about 30 seconds later I could barely see the strip let alone the ball. Can't recall what time it was but it must have been about 9pm.

[bruggers100]

A few years ago for our 100th anniversary (my old club), played an 'insomniacs' game. June 21st, from dawn til dusk. I can't remember the finish time but I know I was exhusted.