IN BRIEF (Page 24)

Cricket

South Africa sweeps series with rout of Bangladesh

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh: Spinner Robin Peterson took five wickets to lead South Africa to a crushing victory by an innings and 205 runs in the second test against Bangladesh on Monday.

The touring side bowled out their hosts for 119 on the fourth day to complete a 2-0 series win.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith and fast bowler Dale Steyn were named man of the match and man of the series respectively.

Bangladesh, replying to South Africa's massive score of 583 for seven declared, were dismissed for 259 and were reeling at 54 for five after being asked to follow on just after tea on Sunday.

NHL

Penguins beat Thrashers to take share of top spot

Pittsburgh rookie defenseman Kris Letang had the only goal in the shootout and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied after giving away a two-goal lead to beat Atlanta 3-2 on Sunday and extend the Thrashers' losing streak to seven.

Marc-Andre Fleury, making his first start in goal since badly spraining an ankle Dec. 6, turned aside 31 shots and didn't allow former teammate Erik Christensen, Eric Perrin or Ilya Kovalchuk to get the puck past him in the shootout. Petr Sykora and Jarkko Ruutu also failed for Pittsburgh but Letang, the second of the Penguins' three shooters, beat Kari Lehtonen cleanly on a backhander.

Soccer

No privileges for Brazil at Beijing Games

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil's Olympic soccer team, which could include World Player of the Year Kaka, will stay in the athletes' village and travel on scheduled flights, Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Ricardo Teixeira said.

"The players will receive identical treatment to the athletes in other sports," Teixeira told the daily newspaper O Globo in an interview published on Sunday.

"I tried the other method and it didn't work. In Atlanta in 1996, we took the best team, the squad stayed in the best hotels, we spent $5 million and we didn't win.

"Now, our plan has Dunga's face," he said, referring to the hard-nosed former midfielder who coaches the senior national side and will be in charge of the Olympic team as well.

"If it's an Olympic team, it will stay in the Olympic village and other places designated by the organizing committee, and will travel on scheduled flights."

Rugby

Hong Kong to host Bledisloe Cup match

HONG KONG: Hong Kong will host a Bledisloe Cup match between New Zealand and Australia on November 1, the New Zealand and Australian Rugby Unions said on Monday.

It will be the first time the two great rivals have met in a rugby test outside New Zealand or Australia, except in a Rugby World Cup.

The 2008 Bledisloe Cup will be decided over four matches, three to be played as part of the annual Tri-Nations tournament and the one test in Hong Kong.

Rugby officials from both countries welcomed the initiative as significant in helping promote the sport in Asia.

"(It's) a bold, new opportunity for rugby in Asia and certainly a new frontier for New Zealand and Australia," NZRU chief executive Steve Tew told a press conference.

"It is in our interests to grow the game in Asia and the Pacific ... the rewards that can be generated in this part of the world are extremely significant," ARU chief executive John O'Neill said.

(China Daily 03/04/2008 page24)