Pink, orange balls likely choice for day-night Tests

Pink and orange balls are the likely options for a day-night Test cricket while the International Cricket Council (ICC) continues its search for the elusive orbs.

Cricket Australia (CA) has handed a bag full of pink and orange balls to the ICC so it can decide on a suitable ball for night Tests.

The ICC says pink and orange balls have emerged as the most likely options after testing in Australia, Pakistan and Abu Dhabi.

'The trials are aimed at determining the sighting qualities of the different coloured balls during day, twilight and night conditions as well as their colour retention ability,' an ICC spokesman told The Australian.

'The tests are mostly positive with some reservations around batting in the twilight period,' he said.

'On the face of it, it appears to make little difference as to whether the ball is pink or orange.'

Inability to find a suitable ball is one of the main reasons which have barred CA from staging lucrative night Tests in prime TV time.

Night Tests need a coloured ball because red ones are too hard to see under lights and white balls can only be used with coloured clothing. Until now, ball manufacturers have had trouble making a coloured ball that keeps its shine and hue.

Hafeez, Rehman star in Pakistan's opening win

A century by stand-in captain Mohammad Hafeez and a four-wicket haul by Abdur Rehman steered Pakistan to a comfortable 68-run victory over the UWI Vice Chancellor's XI, as the tourists made a winning start to their tour in Castries, St Lucia, on Monday.

The right-handed opener hammered 101 before retiring as Pakistan, winning the toss and batting, reached 287 for seven off their allotted 50 overs at the Mindoo Philip Park. In response, West Indies

All-rounder Dwayne Bravo flayed 63 from 70 balls but the Vice Chancellor's XI came up short at 219-8.

Clarke will make a great captain with time: Haddin

Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin feels Michael Clarke is lucky to have former skipper Ricky Ponting by his side and said he would develop into a great captain with time.

"Since the time he (Clarke) was appointed as Australia captain, he has been doing a very good job," said Haddin, who has been roped in by the Kolkata Knight Riders for the Indian Premier League.

"He (Clarke) has been lucky to have the class of Ponting in his apprenticeship. I think he will take something from what Ricky did well and move into his captaincy.

Windies, Pakistan set to launch T20 series

Old foes West Indies and Pakistan face each other in a Twenty20 International for the first time on Thursday.

The Beausejour Cricket Ground in this coastal town on the northern circumference of this volcanic island of St Lucia forms a picturesque backdrop for the occasion.

It is hard to believe that though Twenty20 matches have become popular in the modern game that the two sides have not been fortunate enough to cross each other's paths in this version before now.

Atapattu named Sri Lanka batting coach

Former Sri Lanka captain, Marvan Atapattu has been appointed as the National team batting coach with immediate effect.

Marvan will be joining a strong coaching team comprising of Stuart Law, Champaka Ramanayaka, and Ruwan Kalpage for the forthcoming tour of England this summer, which includes three Test matches, five One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20 games against hosts England this summer which gets underway next month.

Atapattu played 90 Tests and 268 One-Day Internationals in his illustrious career, and was recognised as a perfect technician with the bat.

Pietersen interested in regaining England captaincy

England batsman Kevin Pietersen "would love to have another go" at captaining the side if Andrew Strauss steps down as one-day skipper.

According to The Independent, Strauss is reportedly set to relinquish the role to focus on his Test duties.

Pietersen, who led the side in both formats for less than six months in 2008-09, has said that he would happily step into his shoes.

"If the one-day job becomes available, I would definitely be up for it," he told the Daily Mirror.

Dilshan appointed Sri Lanka captain for England tour

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced the appointment of Tillakaratne Dilshan as the National captain in all three formats of the game for Sri Lanka's tour of England in May 2011.

Sri Lanka's selectors delayed the appointment of a vice-captain, since the prospective candidates are nursing injuries, and their availability for the forthcoming tour is unclear.

"Sri Lanka Cricket will keep the media updated on further developments pertaining to the appointment of the vice-captain in due course," announced SLC in a statement released on Monday.

I am bowling 10 times better than a decade ago: Swann

Graeme Swann believes he ten times better than what he was ten years ago as a bowler.

He has climbed to number two in the Reliance ICC Test rankings by giving the ball a fierce tweak from a vigorous body action.

"I really like watching the ball fizzing down,"he said. "That's why I always like watching Shane Warne bowl, (Muttiah) Muralidaran bowl, these guys who really try and spin it, these are the guys I really try to emulate."

Unlike Warne, a classical wrist-spinner, and Muralidaran, who gained purchase as well as sharp turn, Swann is an orthodox finger spinner.

Captain Clarke looks to gaining respect by scoring runs

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting's successor Michael Clarke feels his main challenge is to earn respect from his team mates and to lead from the front by scoring runs.

Clarke, who started his captaincy with a 3-0 win in a one-day series in Bangladesh, believes that he is respected within the team as an established international player but to have the same as a leader, he needs to have runs and major series-wins under his belt.

The right-hand batsman was battling with poor form during the team's unsuccessful Ashes campaign but regained touch in the subsequent ODI series against England and since then has been amongst the runs. Clarke scored a hundred against Bangladesh in his first match as captain.

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