Pink cricket ball gets mixed response

The pink cricket ball, which has been used under lights for the first time in a four-day game, has received a mixed response with players saying that it was not very difficult to see but some viewers outside the field faced problems to spot the ball from a distance.

Michael di Venuto and Kyle Coetzer saw the pink ball brilliantly on Monday. The Durham pair both hit tons for the county champions against MCC, the traditional curtain raiser to the season.

The ball is being tested as part of a bid to eventually play the five-day Test format under lights to make the game more popular.

The game started on Monday at 2.30 pm local time and the ball became a deep reddish hue by the time the lights came on.

Durham finished on 3-329 in 96 overs, with Michael di Venuto making 131 and Kyle Coetzer 123 not out.

Di Venuto said the colouring was fine but there were "more concerns with the seam".

The players wore whites and the sightscreens were also the usual white during the game, The Sun reports.

ICC president David Morgan said Tests will be played under lights by 2012 although plans to have a night-time Test against Bangladesh this summer were scrapped.

Gloucestershire swing bowler Jon Lewis sent down the historic first delivery with the pink ball.