Thursday's requirement to use the new lights at WestpacTrust Park in Hamilton during the New Zealand-Bangladesh National Bank series Test match provided a big boost for the ground.

Northern Districts Cricket chief executive John Turkington was delighted with the quality of the lighting seen when they were turned on when heavy cloud built up around the ground.

He paid tribute to engineers Stiles and Hooker and the lighting firm Thorn Lighting for their design and construction work.

"Our engineers were given a strict brief to achieve the best possible lighting levels for international cricket and keep the 'spill' level within the criteria set by the resource consent, and the fact they have met these strict criteria is extremely pleasing," he said.

Lux level readings which measure the quality of the light were taken to show the lux levels and they were above the design specification, while having the advantage of being well within the spill levels prescribed in the resource consent.

The average lux under the design requirements was 2225 while the actual lux was 2614, the maximum lux design was 2317 but the actual was 2740 and the minimum design lux was 2098 and the actual 2430.

© CricInfo