THE new Canterbury Park lights will be switched on for the first time for a sporting contest on Saturday when Eaglehawk hosts Strathdale-Maristians in the BDCA first XI.

The BDCA board this week ticked off the day-night match, with lux levels meeting Cricket Victoria's requirements.

The game will get under way at 4pm and finish around 10pm if it goes the distance.

"It's a really exciting weekend for the club playing our first game at home under lights. We think it's a really good promotion for local cricket," Eaglehawk president Ash Piercy said on Thursday.

The concept for the Hawks to christen the lights against Strathdale-Maristians this round was first suggested by brothers Cory and Linton Jacobs.

Cory is back captaining the Hawks this season, while Linton has been one of the cornerstones of the Suns' BDCA dynasty.

"We were talking about how good it would be to play a game of cricket under lights," Cory said.

"We floated the idea to the committee, Strathdale jumped on board and we've got the first day-night match at Eaglehawk this weekend.

"Ash Piercy and the committee have done a power of work to get the game up and running in a short amount of time, so we're looking forward to the experience."

Both teams sit in the top four, with unbeaten Strathdale-Maristians in top spot, while the Hawks are fourth after five rounds.

"Strathdale is the benchmark side, so it's going to be a really good challenge for our young group," Cory said.

"We're looking forward to seeing how they go about their cricket and, hopefully, we can pinch a win under lights."

The lighting project at a cost of $680,000 was only completed four weeks ago and is the latest in what has been a major facility upgrade of more than $8 million at Eaglehawk, which also includes new social and changerooms, cricket nets, bowling green, electronic scoreboard, netball courts and pavilion.

"The new lights really complete the whole venue. The development has been a joint venture with the cricket club, footy club and bowls club that has taken about 10 years all up," Piercy said.

"It has been a long project, but well worth all the work."

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