Bad Light in Cricket
What is bad light in cricket? When players can go off for bad light, how the light meter works, and what the rules say about resuming play.
Bad light is a condition in cricket where the ambient light is deemed insufficient for batsmen to safely face fast bowling. Umpires monitor light levels and can offer the batting side the option to go off the field if conditions deteriorate below an acceptable standard.
How Bad Light Is Assessed
Umpires use a light meter to measure ambient light levels. The reading is compared to the light level at which play started that day. If it drops below a certain threshold, the umpires are empowered to suspend play. In Test cricket, the batting side is typically offered the choice of continuing or leaving the field.
The Batting Side's Choice
In Test cricket, the batting team can choose to stay on the field even when light is offered — they take on the risk to press for runs or a result. If they choose to continue in bad light and a wicket falls, they cannot then invoke bad light for the rest of that spell. In limited-overs cricket, if play is abandoned due to bad light, DLS often applies.
Tactical Use of Bad Light
Teams sometimes bat on in bad light to press for a declaration target or to run down overs in a match they are trying to draw. Conversely, teams protecting a slender lead sometimes prefer to come off the field to deny the opposition overs — even if that means less batting time for themselves.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if play is suspended for bad light in an ODI?
If overs are lost, DLS applies to revise the target. If too many overs are lost (fewer than the minimum required), the match is abandoned as no result or void.
Can fast bowlers bowl in bad light?
In Test cricket, the umpires typically do not allow fast bowlers to operate below a certain light level — it is a safety concern. Only spin bowling is permitted in very low light if batting teams choose to continue.