Square to be rotated

Derbyshire spend £100,000 to defeat the sun

Cricinfo staff

April 8, 2008

Derbyshire have admitted defeat in their battle against the sun and will spend £100,000 on rotating their square at the County Ground through 90 degrees at the end of the season to ensure that play is no longer halted by the setting sun behind the bowler's arm.

Several day-night and Twenty20 games have been disrupted as the sun set, and while several solutions have been sought, Tom Sears, Derbyshire's chief executive, told the BCC that the county had decided to take the only long-term solution.

"Stopping play in perfect conditions is unacceptable, the problems we have had in recent seasons are well documented," he said. "As a club we have to look at the long term and we have a commitment to providing the best possible facilities for players, officials and spectators.

"Turning the square will ensure that we never endure this problem again and importantly that any future development of the ground can be centred around a playing area that is fit for purpose."

Aside from rotating the square, the scoreboard and floodlights will have to be relocated.

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