ENG vs PAK | Players' well-being should be considered in bad light conditions, insists Dom Bess

England’s Test series against Pakistan has been under the influence of bad weather since the start. There have been more interrupted sessions than the ones in which play has taken place. Similar was the story in the second Test between England and Pakistan, in which just 134.3 overs were possible. The match officials came under the scanner for not continuing the play and not re-starting quick enough to have maximum overs bowled in between interruptions. In response, officials extended the play on the third day in the final Test despite bad light. 

In the final Test, England dropped three catches in the final session of the third day, which looked quite easy from distance, and in the process denied James Anderson his 600th Test wicket. However, Bess reckoned that poor light must be taken into consideration and claimed that he could not see the ball at times in the final hour. 

"It's no excuse but it was really dark out there. I was stood at square leg, and Azhar pulled one off Jofra and I did not see it. All seriousness, if that is hit straight at me I genuinely don't know what I'm going to be doing,” Bess was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

"I guess playing in those conditions we have got to be really switched on with it and actually we have got to start thinking a little bit about the players' well-being because you've got 10, 11 there having to face up to someone like Jofra in those conditions - it is seriously dangerous. We talk about dropped catches, obviously, no one means to do it, and it probably looks a lot easier than it did out there. I was at gully and I didn't really see it.

"I don't know what it looks like on TV, it might look a little bit brighter, but certainly out here it was gloomy. With the brand new pill which is obviously shiny as well, it is hard. I don't think it is an excuse for dropping this catches. No one means to do it. But also you've got to take into account being out there and what it was like."

Officials were clearly under pressure from the previous Test match, which showed in their decision to carry on play till it became extremely gloomy in the final session of the third day. Bess quickly pointed out that the light meter reading was 700 when the umpires stopped play in the second Test but went on to resume play till the reading 430 in the final Test. 

"When we came off, I think, in the second Test match, it was 700, and that's dark," Bess said. "I think you might have to ask the umpires and get a general number. I wouldn't be able to say. But I think it's roughly 700 to 800 when the question starts in terms of coming off. We're at 430,” Bess added.