Cricket News

Ricky Ponting praised Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel for another crucial batting partnership to pull their team back from the edge of the precipice yet again against New Zealand.

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa - Zimbabwe batsman Andy Flower told AFP todayhe will retire from international cricket as soon as his team's WorldCup campaign comes to an end.

Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds has been ruled out of the World Cupcricket match against New Zealand at St George's Park on Tuesday.

Inexperienced Australian spinner Brad Hogg faces his sternest World Cup test when New Zealand's big-hitters target him in the Super Six grudge match at St George's Park

XXXX Queensland Bulls Lee Carseldine will have further scans today onhis injured back as part of his bid to be fit for this week's Pura CupFinal against NSW at the Gabba.

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa, March 10 AAP - Chris Cairns tonight claimed he was on the verge of the type of red-hot performance that could burn Australia in tomorrow's World Cup clash at St George's Park

Australia's right to favouritism for the World Cup has never been in doubt

Inexperienced Australian spinner Brad Hogg faces his sternest World Cuptest when New Zealand's big-hitters target him in the Super Six grudgematch at St George's Park.

ADELAIDE, March 9 AAP - South Australian skipper Greg Blewett says his youthful side can approach next summer with confidence after finishing this season with a big outright Pura Cup victory over Tasmania at Adelaide Oval today.

MELBOURNE, March 9 AAP - Victoria showed heart but lacked voice here today as it beat Western Australia by 10 wickets in the season-ending Pura Cup cricket match at the MCG.

A trio of fitness checks this week will determine the ultimate make-upof the XXXX Queensland Bulls team to tackle NSW in the Pura Cup Final atthe Gabba starting on Friday.

SYDNEY, March 8 AAP - New South Wales will go into next week's Pura Cup final with the psychological edge over Queensland after crushing the defending champion by 241 runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

ADELAIDE, March 8 AAP - All-rounder Mark Higgs followed a quickfire century yesterday with two wickets today to push South Australia close to an outright victory over Tasmania on day three of their Pura Cup match at Adelaide Oval.

MELBOURNE, March 8 AAP - Victoria is seven wickets from an outright win over Western Australia in their Pura Cup cricket match at the MCG, but it would be an empty win.

Brett Lee's scorching pace and unforgiving hostility very nearly ended Sri Lanka's World Cup dream on Friday afternoon.

The West Indies Cricket Board has changed the dates for the second Test of the Cable & Wireless 2003 Cricket Series between West Indies and Australia at Port of Spain, and the subsequent three-day match between the University of the West Indies Vice

The Nine Network will broadcast live Australia's matches in the SuperSix series of the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

Sri Lanka need to win at least one if not both of their remaining Super Sixes matches against India and Kenya to have any chance of reaching the World Cup semi-finals.

A century from skipper Ricky Ponting and devastating spell of express pace bowling from speedster Brett Lee handed Australia an emphatic 96 run victory in their opening Super Six clash against Sri Lanka at Centurion on Friday

SYDNEY, March 7 AAP - Steve Waugh, cricket's patron saint of hopeless causes, today answered the prayers of the New South Wales' faithful, scorned the