Lord’s says let there be light for night play

Lord's cricket ground has been given the green light to break with years of tradition by installing retractable floodlights.

The four 48-metre-tall light masts were given the go-ahead by planners at Westminster council last night.

About 2,500 local residents in St John's Wood were consulted by the MCC in a bid to make sure the planning application got through.

The retractable lights will be in place before the Twenty 20 World Cup this summer to allow the world-famous ground to host major evening matches.

Located at the rear of the Compton, Edrich, Tavern and Warner Stands on four columns, the lights can be retracted to 30 metres when not in use and the poles reduced by another six metres when the cricket season finishes. They will replace six temporary lights — each about 50 metres tall.

The MCC insists the lights are essential to stage day/night matches, now a major part of the cricketing calendar.