CRICKET WORLD

Former England batsman Mark Ramprakash will play no part in the county curtain-raiser between MCC and Durham after flying home for personal reasons.

Ramprakash, 40, had been in Abu Dhabi preparing for the four-day clash, which is serving as a high-profile trial for floodlit first-class cricket using pink balls, but has now returned to England.

The Surrey player is one of county cricket's most prolific run-scorers and was one of the star names in MCC's 12-man squad.

His departure means the remaining 11 MCC players will all play against the champion county, while the United Arab Emirates national team will provide a 12th man for the fixture, which starts on Monday afternoon.