Under bright skies and on a true pitch, barely a ball deviated in the air or off the pitch all day as New Zealand reached 250 for the loss of just one wicket by stumps on day one in Auckland

The two Barbados sides scheduled to participate in a T20 competition against six English counties have pulled out just hours before the event was due to start.

Dale Steyn, the South Africa fast bowler who tops the world Test rankings, is available to play Twenty20 cricket this summer after the end of the Champions Trophy

While trying to come to terms with the end of his playing days, Andrew Strauss tries to see if his interests lie in administration, media, or marathon-running

Durham are in talks with South Africa batsman Jacques Rudolph with a view to him joining the club for the 2013 season.

Preview of the second Test between New Zealand and England at the the Basin Reserve, Wellington

Kirk Wernars has announced he is to take a break from cricket and will not be available for Sussex for the 2013 season

Kevin Pietersen plays at his best when no one gives him a chance. In Mumbai, he was unstoppable

Warwickshire left-arm spinner Chris Metters has suffered another injury setback and will miss the start of the season after undergoing surgery

Sussex have signed Australia allrounder John Hastings as a second overseas player for the Friends Life t20 competition

The ECB could face a claim for "very substantial damages" from Danish Kaneria, the banned Pakistan legspinner, after it emerged that its main witness against him continues to refuse to appear at the appeal hearing

Leicestershire have signed Australia batsman Joe Burns as an overseas player for part of the 2013 county season

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the owners of Lord's and the custodians of the Laws of cricket, are resigned to hosting a Special General Meeting (SGM) called by a group of disaffected members

Yorkshire have defended renaming their limited-overs side "Yorkshire Vikings", insisting the name reflects the history of the region and will help the club appeal to a new, young audience

Yorkshire were unable to return to profit in 2012, despite a sharply increased turnover

Kent have signed former Somerset allrounder Calum Haggett

Peter Moores has been accepted on to UK Sport's Elite Programme for world-class coaching development

Worcestershire have signed New Zealand allrounder Jacob Oram as an overseas player for their 2013 Friends Life t20 campaign.

Northamptonshire have signed 29-year-old Pakistani seamer Muhammad Azhar Ullah on a one-year deal

Colin Graves has been nominated by the chairmen of the first-class counties and the MCC for the position of deputy chairman of the ECB