Players unconvinced by pink ball for day-night Tests

SYDNEY: The Australian Cricketers´ Association says the pink ball is not ready for day-night Tests and have cautioned administrators not to rush into the concept.

Australia trialled night sessions using the pink ball during the domestic Sheffield Shield season and has mooted hosting a first day-night test against New Zealand in November 2015.

"The overwhelming majority of players believe the pink Kookaburra ball isn´t yet ready for test cricket," ACA chief executive Paul Marsh said in a statement on the association´s website on Tuesday (www.auscricket.com.au).

"They´ve told us that it went soft very quickly, didn´t swing, didn´t seam and didn´t reverse swing. As such it is a ball that is very difficult to get batsmen out with, but also difficult to score runs against because it gets soft quickly."

Only 11 percent of players rated last season´s Sheffield Shield trial a success and just a quarter felt it provided a fair contest between bat and ball. "These stats are significant because they challenge the notion that Day/ Night Tests are a fait accompli."

The enthusiasm some have for the concept is understandable, however, in the ACA´s view the possibility of improved short-term commercial outcomes should not be enough to force this on the game prematurely.

"Cricket Australia and other administrations have weighed the concept for a number of years, hoping to tap into the possibility of broadcast dollars from bigger television audiences at home and abroad.

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen is among those far from bowled over by the innovation.

"Day/night Test cricket - what a joke! Hope all statistics start again then!" the South Africa-born player who was controversially dumped in the wake of England´s Ashes debacle earlier this year, said on his Twitter page.

"Public don´t watch cos there is too much cricket! And it´s expensive! Play less & public will be more interested!" wrote the 104-Test veteran, whose crowd-pulling aggressive batting is now confined to Twenty20 leagues and county cricket.

Australia, New Zealand push on with day-night Tests

SYDNEY: Cricket Australia said Monday it is pushing ahead with plans to stage an historic day-night Test match with New Zealand, possibly as early as the 2015-16 season.

CA chief executive James Sutherland and his New Zealand Cricket counterpart David White met in Melbourne last week during the International Cricket Council (ICC) annual conference to discuss the idea. They are devising plans to stage the match when New Zealand tour Australia in November 2015, with the venue to be determined, CA said.

The ICC gave its approval in 2012 for member countries to work together on staging Test cricket under lights. "We are serious about pushing ahead with the concept of day-night Test cricket," Sutherland said in a statement. "We feel it will only strengthen the position and possibilities for Test cricket in many parts of the world. There are many Test matches played during non-holiday periods when adults are at work and kids are at school and that´s not an ideal way to promote the highest form of the game."

Sutherland also said there was not a major team sport in the world that scheduled the majority of its premium content during the working week. "We´re not talking about playing the Boxing Day or New Year´s Test at night," Sutherland said. "The summer holiday period in Australia really lends itself to Test cricket, but at other times of the year it can be difficult for fans to attend or watch Test matches, be it here or in other parts of the world. That´s really at the heart of the issue. The challenge is to try to make Test cricket more accessible for fans."

White said his organisation was looking forward to contributing to the day-night Test concept, especially in terms of helping develop a new pink ball suitable for Test conditions.

"Australia continue to assess conditions to ensure they are appropriate to stage Test cricket at night, and we fully support that duty of care," White said in the CA statement.

Both governing bodies said they would continue to seek the opinion of players, spectators and broadcasters.

ICC chief executive David Richardson said he supported the idea. "I´m pleased that after the ICC board gave its thumbs-up during the 2012 annual conference and following extensive trials and debates, we are now at a stage when two of our members are contemplating playing the first-ever day-night Test".

Irfan not playing Tests, focusing on World Cup '15

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan no longer wants to play Test cricket so he can manage his health to play in the 2015 World Cup.

The 2.16-metre (7-foot-1) Irfan has been sidelined from international cricket for nearly seven months since injuring his hip during a Twenty20 against South Africa in Dubai last November.

"I have to manage my workload, and playing Test cricket is an added pressure, therefore I have decided to play Twenty20s and one-day internationals only," Irfan said on Tuesday. "I have to get myself tied up for a longer run this time and ensure that I won´t get dropped."

Pakistan´s next international assignment is against Sri Lanka in August, then against Australia and New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates.

Irfan made his Test debut against South Africa last year. All four of his Tests have been against the Proteas in 2013, during which he took 10 wickets before injuring his hip when he fell in his follow through.

He bowled around 66 overs in two Tests against South Africa in the heat of the UAE before he broke down.

His rehabilitation has been closely monitored by the Pakistan Cricket Board, and medical reports suggested in April that his hairline fracture could be healed without a surgery.

Irfan took part in a month-long training camp in Lahore, and camp leader Mohammad Akram indicated that the tall fast bowler could make an international comeback in the series against Australia in October.

"I am disappointed for missing a lot of cricket, but I am working hard on my fitness so that I should go a long way without breaking down," Irfan said.

Last week, former Pakistan seamer Sarfraz Nawaz also visited the training camp and advised Irfan to focus on limited-overs matches instead of tests to maintain his fitness.

Without Irfan, Pakistan struggled in Bangladesh this year when it failed to retain the Asia Cup title and was knocked out in the group stages of the World Twenty20.But the bouncy pitches in Australia and New Zealand for the World Cup could give Pakistan an edge if Irfan competes. He agrees. "Australia pitches ... suit me," he said. "If I managed to get 100 percent fitness, I am sure I could win matches there single-handedly." (AP)

Narine opts for IPL over Windies´ Tests

ST JOHN´S, Antigua and Barbuda: West Indies´ off spinner Sunil Narine has opted to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final and as a result will miss the forthcoming Tests against New Zealand, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said Friday.

Narine wanted to play for Kolkata Knight Riders in Sunday´s IPL 2014 final, and as a result missed the WICB´s June 1 deadline for joining the Windies´ preparatory camp.

The WICB said that the 26-year-old will now not be considered for home Tests against New Zealand on June 8 and 30.

WICB Director of Cricket Richard Pybus said that under recent guidelines players must make themselves available for team preparations in order to be considered for Tests.

"The onus of the WICB is to protect the integrity of international cricket at all times," said Pybus."International cricket, and specifically Test cricket, is priority and requires dedicated preparation which is integral to team success.

"The WICB policy requires players to commit to sufficient preparation leading in to a series as part of a culture of excellence."

Narine will however be considered for selection for two Twenty20 Internationals against New Zealand on July 5 and 6 in Dominica, the WICB said.

Training squad: Denesh Ramdin (Captain), Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo,Dwayne Bravo, Shiv Chanderpaul, Kirk Edwards, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Shane Shillingford, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor. (AFP)

Ronchi, Craig in NZ squad for West Indies tests

WELLINGTON: Former Australia wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi and offspinner Mark Craig are the only new caps included in the New Zealand cricket team named Tuesday to play three tests in the West Indies in June.

New Zealand-born Ronchi played four one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals for Australia in 2008 and 2009 and has gone on to play 19 ODIs and eight T20 internationals since meeting the residential qualification to play for New Zealand in 2013.

He will act as understudy to incumbent wicketkeeper B.J. Watling during the test matches at Kingston, Jamaica from June 8, Port of Spain, Trinidad from June 16 and Georgetown, Guyana from June 26.

The 27-year-old Craig is the latest in a long succession of players to be tried as New Zealand´s specialist off-pinner.

Craig, who joins legspinner Ish Sodhi in the test squad, earns his call-up in the absence of veteran left-armer Daniel Vettori, who is recovering from Achilles tendon surgery, and offspinner Jeetan Patel, who declined a test recall.

Patel played the last of his 19 tests against South Africa in January last year and was asked by selectors to return to the test lineup. But the 33-year-old has chosen to remain with his English county side Warwickshire while stressing he has not retired from international cricket. "Mark (Craig) has had a strong Plunket Shield, taking 22 wickets and his right-arm off-spinners will be valuable against their left-handed heavy top order batting line-up," New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said. "He´s been in our sights for some time and was also chosen for our winter training squad." Hesson said Ronchi "provides us with middle order batting cover as he´s a good player of spin bowling." "While we gained a convincing 2-0 test series victory against the West Indies in December they´ll be a totally different kettle of fish in their conditions," he said. "And they´ll be driven to perform well in the first match which will be Chris Gayle´s 100th test."

Opener Peter Fulton has been retained, although he made only 75 runs in his last seven test innings with an average of only 26.83.

Batsman Jesse Ryder and fast bowler Doug Bracewell were not considered for selection because of unresolved disciplinary issues.

New Zealand squad: Brendon McCullum (captain), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Mark Craig, Peter Fulton, Tom Latham, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Hamish Rutherford, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson. (AP)