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Cricket lovers in the United States and the Caribbean will be able to watch the World Cup live on televisions and computers.EchoStar and its Dish Network said besides live matches, their customers would be able to watch replays, highlights and news. Simultaneously, it would provide background information on players and teams.Michael Kelly, Executive Vice President of EchoStar, which has exclusive distribution rights in North America and the Caribbean, said viewers in America, having a strong South Asian community, would be able to watch matches live during the day.But those who would miss the live action can watch the matches and replays on their computers though a broadband connection, he added. It also provides its customers with digital video recorder (DGV) on which they can record and see them later.The full package costs USD 199.95 and Kelly said because of licensing and technological problems they could not provide subscription on match by match basis. But those who do not want to see the matches on television can subscribe to watch these on their computers.

Australia have confirmed that Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds will miss the second one-day international against South Africa at Cape Town on Friday. Ponting is still struggling with the stomach muscle injury he picked up before the first match, and there is some doubt as to whether he will take any part in the series. Symonds’s hip-flexor problem is improving but he won’t be rushed back into action.Both players took part in a net session during the afternoon training at Newlands and Errol Alcott, Australia’s physiotherapist, said they needed extra time to make sure they are fully fit. “Although Ricky was unhampered by his injury in batting and fielding today, we consider it more prudent to rest him tomorrow considering the length of time since the injury,” he said. “We will continue further treatment and cricket activity, and will review his availability for Sunday’s game.”Symonds had a batting session and Alcott was pleased with his progress. He will continue to receive treatment and be monitored ahead of the third match at Port Elizabeth.South Africa, who lead the series 1-0 following their six-wicket win in the opening match at Centurion Park, will pick from the same squad after Shaun Pollock was passed fit for the rest of the contest. “It’s big for us,” Ponting told . “It’s only a five-match series so if you can manage to get 2-0 up it puts a lot of pressure on a touring team especially if there are injuries.” Their pace attack is returning to full strength and they may consider bolstering it further by replacing Robin Peterson, who was ineffective at Centurion, with Johan van der Wath.South Africa (probable) Graeme Smith (capt), Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher (wk), Justin Kemp, Shaun Pollock, Johan van der Wath, Andrew Hall, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel.Australia (probable) Adam Gilchrist (capt, wk), Simon Katich, Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Shane Watson, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Mick Lewis.

Robert Croft and Michael Kasprowicz have jointly become the Glamorgan Players of the Year for the 2003 season.The announcement of the decision was made at the annual awards luncheon held at the Sophia Gardens ground this afternoon. The award, sponsored by Brain`s Brewery, had never before been shared by two players.David Harrison won the Young Player of the Year Award, whilst wicket-keeperMark Wallace won the Byron Denning Clubman of the Year Award.

Kelston Boys’ High School will play Wellington College in the final of the Gillette Cup and Epsom Girls’ Grammar will play New Plymouth Girls’ High School in the final of the Yoplait Cup, in Palmerston North tomorrow.Today’s games in the national secondary schools’ cricket finals were again rain affected after the first day’s play was washed out.Games were transferred to artificial pitches this morning and games reduced, through more than one rain interruption to be 41-over affairs for the boys and 38-over matches for the girls.Kelston Boys’ won the toss and batted first against Otago and scored 190 for six wickets in their overs. Blayne Fraser scored 35 and Dusan Hakaraia 46 while Otago Boys’ bowlers Willie Lawson took two for 39 and Ben McCormack two for 47.In reply, Otago Boys’ were 163/9 when their overs ran out with McCormack scoring 30 and Paul Matthews taking four for 29 for Kelston Boys’.St Paul’s Collegiate of Hamilton won the toss and batted first against Wellington College. They scored 146/6 in their innings with Dave Richardson scoring 55 and Rik Fourie 23. James Hill took three for 30 and Kushendra Selvamaheswaram two for 34 for Wellington College.Wellington College did not need all their overs to score 147/3, with Hill 45 not out, Liam Chrisp 41, Justin Lampard 25 and Jay Newdick 20, and take a seven-wicket win to make the final.Napier Girls’ High School won the toss and put Epsom Girls’ Grammar School in to bat. They scored 116 in 38 overs. Rosamond Kember scored 23 and Catherine Bristow also scored 23. Alana McFarland took three for 19 for Napier Girls’.Napier Girls’ struggled with the bat and were all out for 47. Morgan Walsh took four for 10, Catherine Bristow three for 10 and Amy Hodgson two for 19 for Epsom Girls’.Burnside High School won the toss and batted first, making 137 all out. Kate Saunders scored 20, while Anita Waugh took two for 18, Courtney Sim two for 25, Amy Pope two for 25 and Taryn O’Neill two for 33.In reply, New Plymouth Girls’ struggled to 42 for one after 20 overs, but a 98-run partnership for the second wicket between Toni Street (63) and Rachel Priest (37) helped the team reach 139 for five wickets with an over to spare. Andrea Brown took two for 20 and Tracey Watts two for 25 for Burnside.

Sunil Joshi upstaged his more illustrious partners in the Karnatakabowling attack as the home side grabbed an overall lead of 109 withnine second innings wickets standing at close on Day 2 of their SuperLeague match against Rajasthan at the RSI Ground in Bangalore.Joshi’s 6/48 from 26 overs helped Karnataka extinguish Rajasthan’schallenge for 211 and claim a first innings lead of 32. Srinath,Prasad, Kumble and Ganesh all picked up a wicket apiece. Rajasthan’sone-drop N Doru top scored with 66 (153 balls, 8 fours). Karnatakaopeners Beerala and Barrington then put on 52 in 14 overs before thelatter fell for 22. At stumps the hosts were 77/1 with Beerala on 37and Dravid on 11.

West Indies have included Guyana batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon and Trinidad and Tobago fast bowler Ravi Rampaul in their 16-man squad for the ODI series in South Africa.Rampaul and Chattergoon will replace fast bowler Pedro Collins and batsman Daren Ganga who were in the Test squad. Chattergoon’s last one-dayer was against India in May 2006 while Rampaul is becoming a regular in the one-day side.There was still no place in the squad for Ramnaresh Sarwan, who returned from an ankle injury to score a century and a half-century against Trinidad and Tobago in the first round of the Carib Beer Cup competition.Rampaul said that the conditions in South Africa would suit his bowling. “The wickets offer a lot more bounce and the atmosphere there allows for generous swing,” he told . “This would really help my bowling and I am looking forward to playing down there.”West Indies and South Africa face off in a five-match ODI series, which starts on January 20 in Centurion.Squad: Chris Gayle (capt), Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Runako Morton, Brenton Parchment, Devon Smith, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Patrick Browne, Darren Sammy, Rawl Lewis, Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Fidel Edwards, Ravi Rampaul, Sewnarine Chattergoon

Canterbury‘s bowlers kept their nerve to edge a tense thriller against Northern Districts at Whangerei. After making just 125 for 4 – a fairly low score for this format – the Canterbury attack needed to muster all of their acumen to restrict ND.The home side’s chase was going great guns while James Marshall and JosephYovich (21*) were batting, after coming together at 69 for 4. They added 45 between them but Marshall’s dismissal for 48 on the last ball of the 17th over proved the turning point.The team then needed 12 from the last three overs, but lost a further three quick wickets to put paid to their chances. Two of those fell in the final over, bowled by Leighton Burtt – Graeme Aldridge was run out, and then Daryl Tuffey was caught and bowled. Three runs were needed off the final ball, but they could only grab a single as Canterbury squeezed the win.Canterbury were indebted to their captain Chris Harris’s unbeaten 45, which rescued them from a spot of bother at 64 for 3.No such bumsqueaking at Auckland where the home side’s 212 proved insurmountable. Central Districts’ reply got off to a confident enough start – and then some – Ewen Thompson (25) and Jamie How (52) putting on 79 off the first 28 deliveries.But How’s dismissal triggered a collapse from which they couldn’t recover. Dave Houpapa was Auckland‘s topscorer – he struck 74 not out from 53 balls and his knock proved the difference.

Alec Coxon, the Yorkshire fast bowler who played once for England, has died four days after his 90th birthday.The Second World War delayed Coxon’s first-class debut until 1946 by which time he was 29, but he made an immediate impact with 69 wickets at 19.71 as Yorkshire won the Championship.In 1948 good county performances led to him being called up for the second Test against Australia at Lord’s where he took 3 for 172 but he wasn’t retained. This, and the fact that he was not given another chance in subsequent seasons, led to speculation that there was more to his omission than pure cricketing reasons, and stories circulated that he had had a blazing row during the game with Denis Compton. Brian Close, a former team-mate, said that Coxon had a “harsh and grating manner”.In 1949 and 1950 Coxon passed 100 wickets, with his best being 131 at 18.60 in 1950 which was to be his last for the county. At the end of the season he retired to play league cricket, and he turned out as Durham’s professional between 1951 and 1954. Coxon also played league football for Bradford.His death leaves Alec Bedser, Ken Cranston, Allan Watkins and John Dewes as the last survivors of the England side which played Don Bradman’s invincibles in 1948. Coxon was the third-oldest surviving England Test cricketer, with only Mandy Mitchell-Innes and Dennis Brookes being older, and the tenth oldest in all.

Younis Khan, recently appointed Pakistan’s vice-captain, is upbeat about the Indian tour, and inspired by the memory of his father and the words of Imran Khan. Younis’s father had died last month, and he intends to dedicate this series to his memory.”Just a day before he passed away I spoke to him [my father] on telephone and he kept on telling me that I had a lot more to give to Pakistan," said Younis, speaking to . "That I should work harder on my game and be more responsible in my approach to life." Younis, who caught the first available flight home as soon as he learnt of his father’s death in Perth, has never played a Test against India.”It was my father’s greatest desire to see me always perform well when I went out on the field in the Pakistan colours," Younis continued. "He was a very patriotic person who didn’t like it whenever we lost or I failed to do well."Younis was appointed vice-captain in place of the experienced Yousuf Youhana. Imran Khan, the former Pakistan captain, had backed Younis to be the captain of the side after expressing disappointment over Inzamam-ul-Haq’s captaincy in Australia. “When a legend like Imran backs you publicly, it means something and it’s a big boost," said Younis. "I try to play my cricket like him [Imran] without taking too much pressure.”The Indian tour is a high-profile one and as the vice-captain I would like to see the team return home leaving a very good impression behind with the Indian people as good human beings and good sportsmen."