Sports Digest:The Ospreys have announced a new four-year contract for their Wales backrow Ryan Jones - just 24 hours after he was ruled out of World Cup contention.

Ospreys skipper Jones will miss the World Cup with a shoulder injury but has penned a new deal that keeps him at the Liberty Stadium until 2011.

The Lions forward said, "I was delighted to be able to give a long-term commitment to the Ospreys . . . The Ospreys are going on to bigger and better things, and I want to be a part of it for the foreseeable future.

"The calibre of the players at the region, the overall quality of the squad and the standard of facilities available to us as players is second to none, and I am convinced we are on the verge of something big."

Secondrows Ian Evans and Alun Wyn Jones have also committed to the region for four years.

Wright in the mood for Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins and Ronald "Winky" Wright clash in Las Vegas tonight in a catchweight bout between two of the world's best pound-for-pound fighters.

"It's going to be a great fight," said Wright, a former two-time light-middleweight champion.

Southpaw Wright (50-3-1, 25 knockouts), who is coming off a disputed draw with the reigning middleweight champion, Jermain Taylor, is famed for a tight defence and blistering jab.

Hopkins (47-4-1, 32 knockouts) won the IBF middleweight championship in 1995 and successfully defended his title 20 times, adding the WBA and WBC belts en route, before losing on points to Taylor 10 years later.

In June last year he stepped up to the light-heavyweight division and scored a dominant victory over the defending champion, Antonio Tarver.

Flesch out front in Milwaukee

Steve Flesch took a one-stroke lead halfway through the second round of the Milwaukee Championship yesterday by posting five birdies on the back nine to shoot 64 for a seven-under total of 133.

Back-to-back birdies from the 14th and again from the 17th lifted the 40-year-old, left-handed American into the lead. Seven players were tied at six under par in a field weakened by the absence of so many elite players competing in the British Open at Carnoustie.

Among those tied for second were the overnight leaders, Jeff Maggert (through four holes) and US Tour rookie Brendon de Jong of Zimbabwe (after two holes). In the clubhouse at six-under 134 were Camilo Villegas of Colombia (67), Australian Steve Allan (66), and Americans Kenny Perry (65) and Will MacKenzie, who matched Flesch's 64.

Fernando blows out Bangladesh

Pace bowler Dilhara Fernando claimed four wickets for 24 to help Sri Lanka to a 70-run victory against Bangladesh in the first one-day international yesterday.

Bangladesh were well-placed to spring an upset, on 45 for no wicket and chasing a modest 235-run target but Fernando inspired a spectacular collapse and Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 164 in 40.3 overs.

Earlier, the Bangladeshi bowlers applied pressure after winning the toss and Sri Lanka slumped to 67 for three after the early loss of Sanath Jayasuriya (21), Kumar Sangakkara (16) and Mahela Jayawardene (two).

Upul Tharanga (57) and Chamara Silva (65) repaired the damage, and when Tharanga's 104-ball innings ended Silva added a further 40 with Tillakaratne Dilshan (24).

FBI inquire into NBA referee

The US National Basketball Association said yesterday it was cooperating with an investigation into whether a referee was betting on games at which he officiated.

The New York Post, citing sources close to the FBI investigation, first reported in yesterday's editions that the FBI uncovered the connection between the unnamed referee and organised crime figures during a separate mob investigation.

"We have been asked by the FBI, with whom we are working closely, not to comment on this matter at this time," the NBA statement said.

The referee allegedly wagered on games during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 NBA seasons. The FBI organised-crime squad in New York was handling the case, the newspaper said. FBI spokesmen in New York were not immediately available for comment.

Lee ready to return for Aussies

Australia kept faith with their World Cup winners when they named their squad for the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in September. Ricky Ponting will captain the side and fast bowler Brett Lee, who missed the World Cup through injury, returns in place of the retired Glenn McGrath.

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said in a Cricket Australia statement that, after looking at some of the top domestic Twenty20 players, they felt the World Cup-winning side deserved the chance to prove they could perform to the highest standards in both shorter forms of the game.

"The reality is that Australia has not played a lot of international Twenty20 cricket.

"But we see no reason to doubt that, being an Australian side, they will be able to adapt quickly," he said.