Captain Alastair Cook 'perfect' for England

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John Stephenson, the Marylebone Cricket Club's head of cricket, was skipper of the Essex 2nd XI when Cook, then 16, made an immediate impression on his first appearance for the county.

Although Cook returns from his time as stand-in skipper for the tour of Bangladesh with a 100 per cent record, his decision-making in the field was questioned frequently but Stephenson insists the 25-year-old is a perfect candidate for the job.

"When he made his 2nd team debut for Essex in 2001, he whacked the ball around and played really well," said Stephenson.

"He is definitely captaincy material. It is his confidence and maturity. He is clever, communicates well with people and has a cricket brain, while the captaincy won't affect his batting."

Stephenson is travelling to Abu Dhabi today for the MCC's match against county champions Durham, the annual opener to the domestic season which has been moved abroad for the first time.

The four-day game, which begins on Monday, will be played under lights and feature a pink ball, although the players will continue to wear white clothing.

If the match is successful, Stephenson is confident it can pave the way for Tests to be played at night.