“We don’t really know what to expect but it’s hugely exciting for the players and the fans alike”
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England seamer Stuart Broad has admitted that his side will be venturing into uncharted territory in their first Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston as it will be the first day-night Test to be held in England.
While the West Indies played a day-night Test against Pakistan in Dubai in October last year, England will get their first taste of day-night Test cricket on Thursday.
“It’s really exciting to have the opportunity to play with a pink ball in day-night cricket but it’s really nerve-wracking because I personally have never played with a pink ball before,” Broad told Sky Sports. “We’re training this evening under lights at Edgbaston but it’s going to be a different experience and I think the team that reacts quicker and adapts to the conditions will have success. But it’s the first Test and you don’t have time to adjust to the series, you have to hit the ground running.
“From a bowler’s point of view, maybe the ball won’t shine. We don’t know if it’s going to swing conventionally or reverse swing. We don’t know how hard the ball will stay for long periods of time.
“We might have to start more with spin bowling, and then when the lights come on and the ball moves around a bit more with the floodlights, your seam bowlers come into play.
“We are stepping into the unknown. We don’t really know what to expect but it’s hugely exciting for the players and the fans alike, I think.”
Hampshire leg-spinner Mason Crane could make his debut in the first Test against the West Indies and Broad believes that the 20-year-old deserves his call-up to the Test squad, especially since he has been in good form in the ongoing county season and took five wickets in the one Sheffield Shield game he played for New South Wales in March.
“Any time a leg-spinner bowls in cricket you turn on and watch,” he said. “When I was growing up, Shane Warne was a big influence on cricket and you always wanted to see him bowl. He has impressed on TV and made his debut for New South Wales last winter in Australia, so he is rated over there.
“It’s exciting to see leg-spinners play cricket and be involved in the squad but we also have Moeen Ali who has probably had the series of his life. I don’t think I have seen a player have a bigger influence on a series than he did against South Africa.
“It’s a good place for us to be in and it’s exciting that Mason has been included in the squad.”