DERMOT REEVE AWARDED BENEFIT MATCH

CRICKET

Dermot Reeve, the Warwickshire captain, has been awarded a benefit in 1996. The England all-rounder joined the county in 1988.

Bob Carter, Northamptonshire's chief coach since 1987, is to leave the club at the end of the coming season. Carter, 34, was offered another long-term contract by the county, but turned it down in favour of a three- year deal as senior coach to New Zealand's side Wellington, where he has worked for the last three winters.

A row between Kerry Packer's Nine Network and a pay-TV operator threatens to prevent cricket followers here from watching what has been dubbed the world championship of cricket - Australia's tour of the West Indies. Australis, which began transmission in January, claim to have the rights to the Caribbean series, but Packer's free-to-air network, the major cricket broadcaster, will not budge on simultaneous coverage with its fledgling rival.