Stephenson was encouraged by the way the pink ball - which is really a dyed white ball - stood up to the punishment.

BBC: Pink ball makes debut at Lord's

On the 2007 tape, the al Qaeda leader had even dyed his white-flecked beard black, suggesting that as the Saudi militant entered his fifth decade, he was not immune to a measure of vanity about his personal appearance.

CNN: Commentary: Where's Osama bin Laden?

Ever since Julian Assange appeared at a press conference in early November, his signature white pageboy haircut dyed and shorn, and rocking a pair of oversized sunglasses, the WikiLeaks founder has become a sort-of style icon.

FORBES: Fashion's Fascination With Julian Assange

He dyed his beard from grayish white to black, leading analysts to believe that he has switched to sending only audio messages because he is altering his looks and doesn't want people to know what he looks like.

CNN: Purported bin Laden tape slams U.S. role in Pakistan