Wellington Jan 15 NZPA - New Zealand cricketer Jesse Ryder has promised to give up alcohol for good after his latest brush with his demon drink.

Wellington, Jan 14 NZPA - International Cricket Council one-day player rankings issued today:

Batting:

Wellington, Jan 14 NZPA - New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori paid for a wicket-less outing in the final one-day international against the West Indies yesterday, slipping to second in the International Cricket Council bowling player rankings.

Wellington, Jan 14 NZPA - Hosts Australia served up a couple of international basketball lessons to New Zealand teams on the first day of the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney today.

Wellington, Jan 14 NZPA - In Michael Parlane's 16-year domestic cricket career, he won't have experienced many days as satisfying as today's six-wicket State Shield defeat of Central Districts.

Wellington, Jan 14 NZPA - A well-paced innings by skipper Richard Jones delivered Auckland their third straight win in the State Shield one-day cricket competition when they beat Wellington by three wickets at the Eden Park Outer Oval today.

Wellington, Jan 14 NZPA - Otago broke the State Shield mould as captain Craig Cumming led them to a 125-run one-day cricket thrashing of Canterbury in Dunedin today.

In 20 completed games this summer, this was just the third won by the team batting first.

By Chris Barclay of NZPA

Napier, Jan 14 NZPA - A weather weary West Indies cricket side departed home for sunnier climes today, while New Zealand are gradually warming to their next task -- a five-match Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series against world champions Australia.

Wellington, Jan 14 NZPA - Results from the second day of Australian Country junior basketball Cup in Albury, New South Wales, today:

Under-14 boys:

NZ Kea 77 South Australia 51, Victoria 74 NZ Kea 71, NZ Koru 66 South Australia B 62, New South Wales 82 NZ Koru 60

Auckland, Jan 14 NZPA - CJ Bruton will play tomorrow despite not being fully recovered from an ankle injury as he tries to help the New Zealand Breakers end a losing streak in the Australian National Basketball League (ANBL).