Easy start in new-look season opener

Durham pair Michael Di Venuto and Kyle Coetzer both scored centuries as bat dominated pink ball on an experimental first day of the season-opening fixture against MCC.

The traditional county curtain-raiser has a new look this year, with the game transplanted from Lord's to Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Stadium, while pink Kookaburra's and floodlights are also in use.

Those developments are part of a wider plan to usher in the era of day/night Test cricket, an agenda which is unlikely to have been either derailed or dramatically advanced by events on day one of this high-profile trial.

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Di Venuto hit a sprightly 131 and Coetzer, who batted all day, a more stately 123 not out as the champions made mostly serene progress to 329-3 after winning the toss.

Kent, meanwhile, have appointed Jamie Clifford as their new permanent chief executive.

Thirty-four-year-old lifelong Kent supporter Clifford took over as acting chief executive following the retirement of Paul Millman last year.

David Warner helped the Delhi Daredevils to a comfortable 40-run Indian Premier League victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders with a sparkling century in Delhi.

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Warner smashed an unbeaten 107 off 69 deliveries while England's Paul Collingwood hit 53 as the Daredevils reached 177-4.

In reply, Chris Gayle hit 30, but the Knight Riders were restricted to 137-9, their fourth defeat in seven matches.

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