David East today hailed Essex County Cricket Club's new quarter-of-a-million pound floodlights a huge success.
The delighted Essex chief executive told the Evening Gazette floodlit cricket definitely has a future after the county launched their new permanent lights with a dazzling win over Pakistan in a 50-Over Challenge at Chelmsford last night.
Essex were in action under the new floodlights at the County Ground, Chelmsford, last night
The day/night match attracted a near capacity crowd of 5,500.
"It was a huge success," said East. "We are very pleased.
"Floodlit cricket is here for the medium-to-long-term future at the very least and the £250,000 is undoubtedly money well spent.
"One of our greatest aims was to evaluate how many people came into the ground late in the day, after work.
"I can happily report that we took 30 per cent of our gate takings after 6pm, which was what we were hoping for.
"The game attracted a terrific crowd and there was a great atmosphere around the place."
Essex have now joined Sussex as the only counties to have installed permanent floodlights and East said: "Hopefully other counties will use our experiences and follow our lead now."
Published Tuesday, June 10, 2003
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