It may be old hat to some counties, the novelty may have worn off elsewhere, but at Hampshire a sell out crowd is expected to pack the new Hampshire Rose Bowl as the county venture into new territory with their first home floodlit (day/night) match on Wednesday at home to Sussex 4:10pm start.

The ECB Event Management team will take over the event and Musco the American company hired by that team to install the floodlights have come to town. Like Billy Smart's Circus of old, the ground will look resplendent for Hampshire's most lucrative one-day match ever.

Mike Taylor, Hampshire's Marketing Manager will be welcoming 40 companies who have taken up corporate hospitality for the evening, with the caterers ready to feed 800-900 meals to them alone.

"Various catering outlets will be on hand, to feed the spectators also" said Taylor. "We are keeping fingers, in fact everything crossed, that the weather holds good".

There will be music before the event, music selected by individual players to greet them out to bat, noisy when a four or six is hit, or a wicket falls.

The Hampshire side are not unknown to this treatment as they have played in a number of day/night matches over the past couple of years, but only so far away from home. And the circus will also have its famous Rollerball competition during the interval, with the winners going on to represent the county in the grand final at the end of the season.

Sky TV will also be covering the event.

Hampshire captain Robin Smith expects it to be a super night out, but he is also aware that the events off the field will not distract the main event and that is to keep their push for promotion on track with a victory over Sussex. "We must instil into the players, and particularly the youngsters, what is happening on the cricket field is the prime aim for the team". Smith remarks.

Shuttle buses will run both before the match from Hedge End and Southampton Parkway railway stations from 2:30pm to 4:30pm, and returning immediately after the match. A coach has also been booked for travellers returning to Southampton City centre and in particular timed to catch the 11pm sailing to East Cowes. The buses will leave promptly at 10:30pm from the bus shelter on Marshall's Way near the main entrance to the ground.

There are still tickets available during the probably last day of the Derbyshire match on Sunday, or from the County Office on 023 8047 2002.

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