Sporting briefs

Ronaldo: Tests in Amsterdam have shown Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo needs two more weeks of treatment on his injured ankle. Ronaldo was due to return to action this weekend. But Real said tests conducted on Wednesday confirmed he would require another two weeks of treatment.

Ghana U-20: The Ghana team that became the first African nation to win the world under-20 championship in Egypt last month are to be rewarded with a $750,000 package. The 'Black Satellites' beat pre-tournament favourites and four-times winners Brazil 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw after extra time.

Al Ahli: United Arab Emirates champions Al Ahli have sacked Romanian coach Ioan Andone six games into the season, and a month before the FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi. The Dubai club appointed former U-20 national team manager Mahdi Ali as caretaker coach.

McCarthy: South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has recalled striker Benni McCarthy for home friendlies against Japan and Jamaica later this month. McCarthy had been dropped by former coach Joel Santana earlier this year.

MFA Division III: Xgħajra vs Qrendi 2-3; Attard vs Swieqi 0-1 (match abandoned after 72 minutes due to fog).

Commonwealth Games: India has doubled its budget to organise the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi next year as it hopes to use the international gathering to show itself off as a major global destination. The government yesterday revised the budget to $344 million, a significant increase from the previous $163 million. New Delhi is preparing to host more than 100,000 foreign visitors during the October 3-14 event.

Basketball: Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol, who has yet to play this season due to injury, has been cleared to resume practising with the team, the Spanish forward announced. Gasol has been sidelined due to a strained right hamstring but has undergone private workouts as the injury improved. "I'm taking it day by day to see how it feels," Gasol told reporters, adding that he had not targeted a return date.

Cycling: Australia's world road racing champion Cadel Evans will ride at next year's Tour Down Under against Lance Armstrong after his BMC Racing Team were offered a wildcard entry to the race. Evans only recently signed for BMC Racing after winning the world title and Tour Down Under organisers were quick to offer the second-tier American team a wildcard into the Jan. 17-24 ProTour event.

Golf: The PGA Tour's Fall Series event held in Arizona for the last three years, will be shifted to California for next season, the Tour said. American Troy Matteson won the event last month when it was held at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, though the tournament will take place at CordeValle in San Martin in Oct. 2010, Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said. The tournament will now be played close to the corporate headquarters of the tournament sponsor, an electronics retailer.

Cricket: England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has signed a new three-year deal to play one-day cricket for Lancashire. "I am delighted at being able to agree a new contract which enables me to remain at Old Trafford for the next three years," the 31-year-old player said.

Motor racing: The troubled A1GP series has called off its second and third rounds of the season in China and Malaysia after cancelling the opening race in Australia for financial reasons. "We've had to postpone them," a spokeswoman said of the races in Zhuhai and Sepang on Nov. 15 and Dec. 6. "The local organisers are still willing to run them but we can't make the dates on the calendar." The self-styled World Cup of Motorsport scrapped last month's opening race at Surfers Paradise due to its British operating arm, which has the cars, going into liquidation. The fourth race is scheduled for South Africa on Feb. 28.