night Test matches moved a step closer to acceptance after cricket's governing body endorsed a trial first class match in Pakistan held under lights with a colored ball. “I don't see any problems with the behavior of the ball or playing under lights. This match would help us in our proposal to see Test cricket under lights,” International Cricket Council general manager of cricket affairs Dave Richardson told Geo news channel. Richardson watched some of the five-day Quaid-e-Azam trophy final at the National stadium between the country's two top teams. The match was played under floodlights in a bid to attract crowds and raise the profile of Pakistan's domestic cricket. A pink ball has been used in trials in England, Australia and West Indies which would enable players to wear white clothing under floodlit conditions with white sightscreens. The traditional red ball is difficult to see properly under lights. White balls are used successfully in day-night one-day matches but the players wear coloured clothing and black sightscreens are employed. “The good thing is that this final has shown that it is possible to play first class and test matches in a day-night format with orange color balls,” former captain and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director-general of cricket Javed Miandad told reporters at the national stadium. “But as far as the International Cricket Council is concerned it is up to them how they approach this new concept which can be done. Miandad said that the PCB would send its report to the ICC after going through the reports of the captains and match officials. “The good thing is that on all five days we got no complaints from anyone about playing in this format being difficult,” he said. 4 Pakistani cricketers fined for various offenses Four Pakistani players have been fined a total of nearly $2,000 for ball tampering, slow over rates or using abusive language during the domestic final of the country's top cricket tournament. Habib Bank Limited defeated Pakistan International Airlines by five wickets Monday in the final. PIA was fined 75,000 rupees ($875) for being 15 overs behind bowling schedule, and HBL was fined 33,000 rupees ($390) for being eight overs short. PIA quick Najaf Shah was found guilty of ball tampering and fined 15,000 rupees ($175). Similar punishments were given to captain Kamran Sajid and Fahad Iqbal for showing dissent to umpires. Iqbal was banned for two one-dayers. HBL batsman Shan Masood was fined 8,000 rupees ($95) for the same offense. Windies-Lanka series West Indies cricket team will visit Sri Lanka later this month for three ODIs to make up for a washed out five-match series last year, cricket authorities said Sunday. Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement that the newly built Suriyawewa stadium in the southern Hambantota district will host the first match on Jan. 31. Other two matches will be played at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Feb. 4 and 6. The matches will give valuable practice for both sides with the cricket World Cup scheduled to start Feb. 19. Both teams drew a three-match Test series last year.
