FLOODLIT cricket is a gimmick. It may look spectacular once the sky gets truly dark, but if it means that the contest is decided on the toss of the coin then it reduces the sport to a pantomime.

There was too much euphoria when England bowled out Pakistan for 134 at Cape Town. Without taking anything away from James Anderson, it confirmed that batting first in day/night matches is a huge advantage, as was shown again when England lost to India.

To have World Cups decided in conditions which do not provide a level playing field is ridiculous. But when the primary aim is to raise as much revenue as possible then the demands of television come first.

This was also illustrated by staging England's rugby match in Cardiff last Saturday at 5.30, meaning that those who travelled by train couldn't get home until the next day.

Adjusting their body clocks clearly affected the rugby men, who did not look like the world's top-ranked team, while the cricketers batted as though they were ready for their bedtime drink as they made a complete horlicks of their innings.

They had threatened to do the same when batting first four days earlier, and the importance of Paul Collingwood's skilful 66 not out in marshalling them to a competitive total cannot be over-estimated.

The only man to fire against India, however, was Andrew Flintoff, with bat and ball. After recovering his fitness, he has always had the potential to be a big star in this competition and it seems cruelly ironic that he should shine when all others failed.

But the real shame is that in both matches the team batting first have posted a total which should ensure the sort of thrilling climax for which one-day cricket was invented. But thanks to the extra night-time movement the lights have quickly gone out on any chance of a real contest.

NOW England have to beat Australia. It's not a day/night match, and there's no Shane Warne, so it should not be seen as mission impossible.

That cricket has been deprived of Warne for a year is very sad, not least because he will now be beaten in the race to become the first bowler to take 600 Test wickets by a man who delivers with a bent arm.

The legality of Muthiah Muralitharran's action has long been a subject of debate and it may rage even more fiercely once he becomes the world's leading wicket-taker.

Aussies will ask why he should get away with chucking while Warne has to take a year out for taking a slimming pill.

The suspicion cast over Warne by suggestions that the pill's diuretic qualities could act as masking agents to cover up performance-enhancing substances has been thrown out as modern testing would apparently show up those substances anyway.

But the attitude is that he has taken something which, however harmless, was on the banned list and he ought to have known that. Therefore he has to pay the price. He thinks it's harsh, and I don't blame him.

ONE of the great campaigners against drugs in sport, the thoroughly admirable Paula Radcliffe, wants to repeat the feat of the legendary Emil Zatopek, who won the 10,000 metres and the marathon at the Helsinki Olympics in 1952.

In a week when it has been highlighted that a quarter of women take no exercise at all, Paula continues to run 140 miles a week in training.

Of course, she doesn't have to do a Mrs Blair and try to juggle too many balls, as her fitness is the only thing she has to worry about.

It would be good to think, however, that her record-breaking might inspire those females who, rather than being too busy, simply can't find the motivation to take that first step to a healthier life.

SUNDERLAND obviously couldn't beat Middlesbrough Reserves at the moment, at least not with Juninho in the team.

Boro's fans have always been more fickle than the loyal Mackems, and for more than 19,000 to turn up to watch Juninho's comeback in the reserves is a huge testament to the affection in which he is held.

Sadly, for every Juninho there are three or four imports like Alen Boksic or Tore Andre Flo who do not give value for money, and it's good to see Boro and Newcastle concentrating more on developing English talent.

Sunderland will have to go with the flow, not the Flo, and make sure their much-heralded academy produces a conveyor belt of talent capable of regaining then sustaining Premiership football.