Could lights previously used to grow cannabis help England roll over Australia in one of cricket’s greatest rivalries?
Ahead of the third Ashes Test on Wednesday, ground staff at Edgbaston, Birmingham in central England have been heating the outfield with lamps donated to them by local police.
“Thirty-six unused, boxed heat lamps were confiscated from a cannabis farm and donated to Warwickshire County Cricket Club (WCCC) to stimulate grass growth,” said a statement from West Midlands Police, which delivered the lighting largesse to WCCC last year.
“The lights — fixed to a mobile structure so they can be wheeled out onto the Edgbaston pitch — were used throughout the winter to heat up the soil and replicate warmer conditions.”
Similarly powerful lamps are used by a number of British football clubs to maintain optimum pitch conditions, but they don’t come cheap.
“We’re really grateful for the donation,” said WCCC head groundsman Gary Barwell at the time of delivery. “Many top-level football clubs with large budgets use lamps like these on a far grander scale but in country cricket where finances are tighter gestures like this are very welcome.”
However, England fans hoping the lamps might light up the home side to take a 2-1 lead in the series shouldn’t hold their breath.
“There’s no correlation between using the lamps and a home team victory for Warwickshire or Birmingham Bears,” a WCCC spokesman told CNN.
With play due to commence Wednesday morning under sunny conditions, a dry outfield could mean more boundaries and more runs for the team batting first.
However, with rain scheduled for the afternoon session and the fourth day on Saturday, the ground staff may need to keep wheeling out the heat lamps to dry the surface.