This month’s Cricket World Cup competition is leading two international newspaper publishers to use a Web-based digital printing service to produce editions for readers following the matches in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Netherlands-based De Telegraaf and The Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald will use Océ Digital Newspaper Network’s high-speed digital machine to reach readers interested in the outcome of World Cup games, to be played over a 44-day span in February and March.

The Océ printer can produce up to 1,000 copies per hour of the papers, which will be available to readers the day of their publication.

Officials from both De Telegraaf and The Sydney Morning Herald said they expected the special editions to serve their large expatriate base as well as business people and tourists in South Africa.

The Océ technology prints newspapers for readers worldwide at remote locations via a high-speed digital data distribution network. The system digitally prints the newspapers on original white or salmon newsprint, the same as the newspapers’ home editions. The editions are also printed and available for distribution on the same morning as their parent edition.

Almost two years ago, Océ opened the world’s first short-run digital commercial print site for newspapers in London. The Johannesburg print site opened in February 2002 in conjunction with the company’s print partner, Ince (Pty) Ltd. The Financial Times currently prints 3,000 copies daily at the site.