Floodlights will remain on throughout The Hundred cricket matches on Wednesday as organisers prepare for a solar eclipse expected to obscure up to 90 per cent of the sun. The eclipse will occur between 6.17pm and 8.06pm, peaking shortly after 7pm, and will mark the first partial solar eclipse visible across the UK in 27 years.
Four Hundred games are scheduled for Wednesday, with the Welsh Fire women facing London Spirit women at 11.30am in Cardiff, followed by the men's match at 3pm. Birmingham Phoenix women will host MI London at Edgbaston from 3pm, with the men's teams playing each other at 6.30pm. All matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
The eclipse will cause the light to dim, temperatures to drop, and wind direction to potentially shift as the moon passes in front of the sun. Organisers will keep floodlights on throughout the matches and issue additional messaging to fans. Experts have warned that only certified solar eclipse glasses should be used for viewing.
Horse racing will also be affected, with the twilight meeting at Ffos Las rescheduled to begin and end earlier to ensure all six races take place in daylight. Kempton, which has races scheduled for 7pm and 7.30pm, will rely on floodlights during the eclipse window of 7.02pm to 7.16pm. Kempton's clerk of the course said the floodlights would be activated early to account for uncertainty about how much of the sun would be covered during each race.
