Sport Briefs

CRICKET – Bangladeshi cricket television and marketing rights until 2012 have been bought for US$56,88 million, Bangladesh Cricket Board officials said yesterday.

Nimbus Sports International signed the deal on Sunday night, acquiring the rights to market all BCB cricket events in Bangladesh until 2012. Bangladesh, one of 10 test-playing nations, is expected to host 23 test matches and over 40 one-day internationals during the four-year period.CRICKET – The Indian board has agreed to an umpires’ exchange programme with Cricket South Africa.Under the programme, a pair of Indian umpires will officiate in two four-day domestic matches in South Africa this season and India will do likewise.No Indian has been part of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) elite panel of umpires since Srinivas Venkatraghavan retired in 2004, and the Indian board is looking to raise the quality of umpires in the country.FOOTBALL – AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has flown to Barcelona to try to seal a deal for Ronaldinho despite Italian and British media saying Manchester City are now in pole position to sign the Brazilian.Galliani has consistently said that if Ronaldinho joins Milan they will not pursue their interest in Arsenal’s Emmanuel Adebayor, who has also been linked to Barca.FOOTBALL – Olympiakos Piraeus striker Lomana LuaLua wants to remain at the Greek champions despite growing speculation that the Democratic Republic of Congo international is set to be axed from the club.The former Newcastle and Portsmouth frontman joined Olympiakos last year but after a promising start, he ran into disciplinary problems and was dropped for the Greek Cup final.”I have made mistakes, I accept that but people can change,” he told a Greek radio station.FOOTBALL – Getafe have confirmed the signing of Ecuadorian forward Joffre Guerron from LDU, the Primera Liga club said on their website (www.getafecf.com).The 23-year-old, who is to be presented today, helped LDU to become the first Ecuadorian side to win the South American Libertadores Cup at the beginning of the month.Nampa-ReutersBangladesh, one of 10 test-playing nations, is expected to host 23 test matches and over 40 one-day internationals during the four-year period.CRICKET – The Indian board has agreed to an umpires’ exchange programme with Cricket South Africa.Under the programme, a pair of Indian umpires will officiate in two four-day domestic matches in South Africa this season and India will do likewise.No Indian has been part of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) elite panel of umpires since Srinivas Venkatraghavan retired in 2004, and the Indian board is looking to raise the quality of umpires in the country.FOOTBALL – AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has flown to Barcelona to try to seal a deal for Ronaldinho despite Italian and British media saying Manchester City are now in pole position to sign the Brazilian.Galliani has consistently said that if Ronaldinho joins Milan they will not pursue their interest in Arsenal’s Emmanuel Adebayor, who has also been linked to Barca.FOOTBALL – Olympiakos Piraeus striker Lomana LuaLua wants to remain at the Greek champions despite growing speculation that the Democratic Republic of Congo international is set to be axed from the club.The former Newcastle and Portsmouth frontman joined Olympiakos last year but after a promising start, he ran into disciplinary problems and was dropped for the Greek Cup final.”I have made mistakes, I accept that but people can change,” he told a Greek radio station.FOOTBALL – Getafe have confirmed the signing of Ecuadorian forward Joffre Guerron from LDU, the Primera Liga club said on their website (www.getafecf.com).The 23-year-old, who is to be presented today, helped LDU to become the first Ecuadorian side to win the South American Libertadores Cup at the beginning of the month.Nampa-Reuters