Don’t blame umpires for bad light woe insists Root

England captain Joe Root has claimed changes must be made “somewhere, somehow” to help prevent future Test matches being ruined by bad light.

The second Test against Pakistan came to a fittingly flat finale as the home side finished on 110 for four in their first innings, replying to Pakistan’s 236, a total made across four interrupted days.

A paltry total of 134.2 overs were bowled in the match, including little more than ten over the weekend, with time lost to a combination of poor visibility, showers and a saturated outfield.

The bad light issue generated most debate with some advocating pulling forward the ring-fenced 11am start, others wanting the pink ball to be used as it already is in day/night Test cricket and some advocating relaxing floodlight specifications.

Umpires Richard Kettleborough and Michael Gough’s decision to call stumps on Sunday at 3.50pm drew widespread disapproval.

But Root said: “I think it’s hard to blame the umpires here. There’s something bigger that needs looking at higher up the chain.

“It’s frustrating, it’s been a huge talking point and I think it needs to be addressed somewhere, somehow.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a game be affected by bad light as much as this.

“I’m not exactly sure what the answers are to be honest, so I don’t want to comment too much on it, but maybe there’s got to be a minimum standard of floodlights and play on throughout.

“Maybe with a slightly brighter red ball rather than a dark Dukes ball.

“You don’t necessarily have to start every day at 10.30am but maybe if you need to make time up, that’s something you can look at throughout the game too so that light isn’t as much of an issue,” added Root.

“But until those things change from the ICC, the umpires have to follow the rules that are in front of them and as players we have to do as we are told.”