Ireland voices white-ball visibility concern at Ageas Bowl

Spotting the white ball against the back drop of the cream-coloured empty seats at the Ageas Bowl has proved to be a challenge for the Ireland players.

The first Test between England and West Indies in the ongoing Wisden Cup was also played at the Ageas Bowl earlier this month.

Ireland has voiced concerns over the visibility of the white-ball against the backdrop of empty cream-coloured seats at the Ageas Bowl Stadium ahead of its three-match ODI series against England.

The three matches, which will take place behind closed doors in a bio-secure bubble, will be played on July 30, August 1, and 4 respectively.

“The thing that’s a little bit of a concern is the background,” said Ireland head coach Graham Ford after the team’s intra-squad practice game.

“The seating is either cream or white, and you’ve got a white ball and an empty stadium, so that background for fielders might be a challenge,” he added.

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The first Test between England and West Indies in the ongoing Wisden Cup was also played at the Ageas Bowl earlier this month. However, the red ball did not pose any visibility issue for the players.

Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie said it is a tricky situation to be in but hoped a week of practice will help the players get comfortable.

“It can be tricky. A white ball on cream and white seats will be tricky, but we’ve got enough time to make sure we can’t use that as an excuse,” he said.

“It does take a bit of getting used to, but we’ve got a week of prep and we can make sure that we hone that, and make sure that guys are comfortable and almost getting their eyes in while fielding,” he added.