Wellington, Apr. 8 : New Zealand cricket team coach Andy Moles has admitted that one of the most annoying aspects of his first summer as New Zealand coach was the side''s inability to make solid starts at the crease.

The former opening batsman said the opening partnership remains a prime concern.

Seven tests into his reign an opening combination are yet to produce a stand of 50 runs. The discarded duo of Jamie How and Aaron Redmond came closest against Australia in Adelaide when they put on 46 in the first innings.

Wellington, Apr. 8: New Zealand cricket team coach Andy Moles says that he is looking forward to strike bowler Shane Bond’s return to international cricket after he quits the unsanctioned ICL Twenty20 competition.

Bond has indicated that he plans to play a full season for Canterbury in 2009-10, not simply the limited overs competitions. And if the cash-strapped ICL folds he would again be available for international selection a year after cutting his ties with New Zealand Cricket.

London, Apr. 8 : England cricket captain Andrew Strauss has admitted that he is not ideally suited to Twenty20 cricket, and therefore, he agreed with the selectors that there was need for him to stand down and have someone else in charge for the duration of the second ICC World Twenty20 tournament.

Cape Town (South Africa), Apr. 8 : South Africa cricket team coach Mickey Arthur has turned up the heat on Australia''s top-order batting, saying early wickets will put the Proteas in a massive position of strength in Thursday''s third one-day international.

Australia''s top five batsmen were all dismissed for single figures in Sunday''s second game at Centurion where the tourists were bowled out for 131 with only No. 6 batsman Callum Ferguson and tail ender Mitch Johnson (30) scoring more than 10.

London, Apr. 8: Cricket Australia (CA) has recalled Andrew Symonds, Brett Lee and Shane Watson for the six match One Day International series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Announcing the 14 man squad for the series starting April 22, the chairman of selectors, Andrew Hilditch, said: "Andrew Symonds has been cleared by Cricket Australia to resume playing for the Australian cricket team and he has been included in the squad."

Symonds poor form along with a niggling knee injury, and several off-field controversial incidents forced him to sit out through the last summer.

Hilditch hoped that Symonds would grab the opportunity, and prove that he still possesses those match winning qualities.

Lahore, Apr. 7: Pakistani players have expressed their desire to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) following the tournament’s shift from India.

According to The News, some players have approached the IPL management through e-mails, but have not received any reply.

It is, however, highly unlikely that IPL franchises would recall Pakistan players, as they had earlier refused to play in the league when it was being held in India following a call from their government.