England in New Zealand

England have won their first game of the tour. On a lazy, cloudy afternoon at Hamilton, they were teetering at 96 for 5 in pursuit of 161 before a flurry of boundaries from Owais Shah and Andy Flintoff averted another embarrassing defeat.

Flintoff is fast becoming England's premier all-rounder. He generated real pace to claim 3 for 20, then took the Northern Districts bowlers apart with a series of clumping blows, blasting 45 not out off 25 balls, 42 of them in boundaries.

Despite giving Shah a 12-over start, Flintoff rushed past him within five, pulling Simon Doull for four, then launching Scott Styris down the ground for six. The shirt, though, stayed on.

West Indies and Pakistan in Sharjah

Pakistani captain Waqar Younis has grabbed 4-44 on his way to joining the 350-wicket club to lead a 244-run rout of the West Indies in the second Test here.

Set an improbable victory target of 434, the West Indians paid for poor batting and two dubious umpiring decisions to be shot out for 189 at the stroke of stumps on the fourth day.

Pakistan, who won the first Test by 170 runs, swept the two-match series that was shifted to the desert venue after the West Indies declined to play in Pakistan due to security reasons.

Waqar, the 78 Test veteran paceman, ended the series with a career haul of 352 wickets, becoming the third Pakistani after Wasim Akram (414) and Imran Khan (362) to reach the 350 landmark.

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West Indies star Brian Lara says that he wants to continue playing international cricket until the 2007 World Cup.

But Lara, who has had periods out of the team for a variety of reasons, added that he would call a halt before that if he felt he was no longer worth his place.

Lara made the comments at a school in Trinidad where he was giving the latest in a series of motivational talks with sprint star Ato Boldon.

"I would really like to play until at least the 2007 Cricket World Cup, which will be played in the Caribbean," he said.

"But I do not want to become a liability to the West Indies cricket team and if I feel that is the case at any time, then I will make my exit."

Miscellaneous

The West Indies Cricket Board has launched an investigation into the handling of its investment fund for players after reports that it is performing badly.

Newspaper reports in the Caribbean suggest that former West Indies Test legend Courtney Walsh may have lost a sizeable sum of money invested in the fund.

The Players' Provident Fund was set up to provide players who appear for the West Indies with an income after they retire.

Under-19 World Cup

Australia's under-19s have demolished South Africa in the ICC World Cup final here to complete a 100-percent record in the tournament showcasing tomorrow's stars.

The team secured a seven-wicket victory with 29 balls to spare in the final at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval, reaching 3-209 in reply to South Africa's 9-206.

Jarrad Burke hit the winning runs to end 100 not out and ensure the Australian teenagers finished the tournament without a blemish to their record.

"Everything went according to plan and they played superbly throughout the tournament," said Australia coach Wayne Phillips.

"I told the guys after the game that they had won 13 games in a row and that is quite a performance. They have worked hard and I can't be more proud of a group of players.

"They will all be given the same opportunity and it's up to them to make the most of what comes their way, but there is no reason why they can't all go on to higher things."

South Africa coach Hylton Ackerman singled out Australian captain Cameron White for praise, but found much to commend in his own multi-racial side.

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