Hants will illuminate Rose Bowl

Hampshire Cricket are poised to unveil £1Million world-class floodlights in time for the 2006 season. Chairman Rod Bransgrove wants The Rose Bowl to be the first ground in England to offer fixed world-class floodlighting of a standard sufficient to stage International one-day cricket.

This ambitious project has been given the go-ahead by Eastleigh Borough Council and proposals have now been submitted to the ECB for a long-term commitment to stage international day/night matches at the magnificent £25million ground.

Hampshire's aim is to stage two day/night internationals each year. In addition, three or four Hampshire matches will also be staged under the lights which are said to be the equal of floodlights at any cricket ground in the world.

© William Powell

Work on the six 30-metre towers will start immediately on completion of the forthcoming season. Each tower will house 46 state-of-the-art lamps which are designed to provide maximum illumination to the playing area with minimal light pollution outside the arena.

"This approval is more fantastic news for The Rose Bowl and keeps us right on course with our plans to make this magnificent stadium an integral part of the International cricket scene," said Bransgrove.

"This will be the first ground in the country to offer a truly world-class floodlit option for English cricket and I hope that the ECB will provide us with the long-term commitment required to turn this dream into a reality.”