SOME in the cricket fraternity are feeling a sense of optimism in the aftermath of Monday’s Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) 50-over final between St Catherine CC and the University of the West Indies at Sabina Park.

The match, won by St Catherine CC, began at 2 o’ clock in the afternoon and ended under brilliant floodlights at the venue.

It was Jamaica’s first 50-over club final played in day/night conditions.

The sparse spectator turnout did not mirror the entertaining championship match, but Courtney Francis, the chief executive officer of the JCA, said he was satisfied.

“I want to express my satisfaction and I’m happy to be part of a team that led to a first local club match under a day/night situation,” he said.

“Next year we want to have both semi-finals and final under similar conditions and not just the final. So we’ll have three such games to further expose players and to give them opportunities of playing under lights.

“People saw it as a good move, we are just being exposed to this and people are craving for more matches like this. We are having discussions with ISSA [Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association] to have the [Twenty20 cricket] competition played under lights,” Francis continued.

He said Sabina Park box holders are also excited at the opportunity to utilise the boxes.

Donovan Bennett, the JCA first vice-president, said he was letdown by the small number of spectators in attendance.

“It went very well, but I expected to see more people. The game was played when most people would not be working, so I wanted a bigger crowd. It’s a start and it shows the [JCA] board is thinking outside of the box and trying to make the game more attractive. We want to build on that in the future and you can look out for more innovative things from the JCA,” Bennett said.

The installed lights at Sabina Park were commissioned in August of last year, but outside of the Caribbean Premier League Twenty20 matches, local fans have not seen competitive night cricket until Monday’s final. Some have pointed to the cost of utilising the lights as a deterrent.

— Sanjay Myers