The infirmary admitted liability to Jill Barwise, 30, who was carrying Folley''s unborn child at the time, after a long legal battle. An inquest in Whitehaven had returned a verdict of misadventure.

The inquest was told that Folley had vomited shortly after being given an anaesthetic and died when gastric acid and food particles entered his lungs. A tube that should have been fed into his lungs was found in his stomach. The anaesthetist, Dr Murali Krishnan, admitted he did not fit a carbon dioxide analyser, which would have indicated the patient was being deprived of oxygen. Miss Barwise said later that she had expected more than 140,000 pounds and would appeal against the method for calculating the figure. Compensation was based on 5 per cent of Folley''s earnings. He was working as a nightclub manager while being paid 80 pounds per match by Whitehaven, who had also paid for his accommodation.

The 185-year-old Lime Tree that graces the outfield of Kent''s St Lawrence ground in Canterbury - the only tree in the world within the boundaries of a first-class ground - has been diagnosed as suffering from heart wood fungus and has not been given long to live - five to 10 years. But measures have been taken to replace the historic cricketing landmark. Another, semi-mature lime tree, which cost 3,000 pounds and stands 20ft tall, was planted 20 yards from the original, on the other side of the boundary, on February 2. The roots are kept specially in a ball shape so that the new tree can grow to around 60ft and be lifted into the hole left by the old one.

Ricky Ponting, the Tasmania and Australia batsman, admitted to having a drink problem and will undergo counselling after he was knocked unconscious in the Bourbon and Beefsteak nightclub in Sydney''s Kings Cross red light district on January 20. The incident, which Ponting could not recall, followed the day/night Carlton & United Series match against England at the SCG.

The 24-year-old was suspended from the one-day squad until an investigation could be completed. No other players were involved, the police were not informed and the Australian Cricket Board has appointed an independent lawyer. Ponting breached the ACB Code of Conduct, which stipulates that international players should adhere to the 1.30am curfew permitted after a day/night match (midnight for all other matches), that drinking should be in moderation at all times and that players should always be well behaved.

``I have to admit to myself that I have a problem with alcohol at times and I intend to overcome this problem,'' he said. ``It''s just that on occasions I drink too much and get myself in situations I don''t intend to. I''m very embarrassed. I feel I have let a lot of people down, particularly my team mates, family and Tasmanian and Australian cricket.''

He has approached the Australian Cricketers Association seeking counselling and has promised to return ``squeaky clean''. He admitted that during his on-and-off international career, he has ``overstepped the mark a couple of times now''. On the tour of India in March 1998 he was fined after an incident in a Calcutta nightclub and was then fined again for an on-field altercation with Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

Vivian Richards, the former West Indies captain, has been knighted after the government on his native island of Antigua last year granted itself the power to hand out its own honours. As head of state the Queen has given her approval, according to Downing Street. Along with the former Prime Minister, Vere Bird, he is the first recipient of Antigua's new awards.

The former Leeward Islands and Somerset batsman, who was awarded the OBE when he retired in 1994, becomes the sixth West Indian cricketer to be knighted after Lord Constantine, Sir Garry Sobers, Sir Clyde Walcott, Sir Everton Weekes and Sir Frank Worrell. He remains the leading West Indian Test run-scorer with 8,540 runs, and played in the greatest number of Tests, 121.