Roll out the hot air balloon! Giant tent could end cricket's rain delays

A couple of very keen fans sit it out in the rain at Seddon Park in Hamilton.

A hot air balloon holding up a mesh cover could make rain delays a thing of the past in cricket matches.

The Telegraph is reporting that the England & Wales Cricket Board is looking into the idea to cover a ground to combat rain with Lord's as a likely testing venue.

The newspaper reports that a United States company has provided the potential solution to rain delays which would involve a transparent mesh cover over the entire ground.

The mesh would be held by wires suspended from floodlights and held help by a hot air balloon. High winds and rain runoff are two possible problems with the idea.

"We would look at any new technology and ways to get games on and more people playing cricket," an ECB spokesman told the Telegraph.

According to the Telegraph the technology is believed to be two years away but if successful it could be set up for the 2020 season.