Sporting briefs

Marino: Coach Pasquale Marino has joined Parma, having quit his post at their Serie A rivals Udinese. The 47-year-old is highly regarded in Italian football and spent the last three seasons at Udinese, although he was technically sacked in December, only to be re-instated two months later. He will replace Francesco Guidolin, who resigned at the end of last season and takes over from Marino at Udinese.

Cisse: Panathinaikos striker Djibril Cisse ruled out a return to his formative club Arles-Avignon, who were promoted to the French first division last season. Cisse was born in Arles and played for the local club before going on to join Nimes and then Auxerre, where he made his name as a professional player.

Altintop: Bayern Munich midfielder Hamit Altintop has signed a one-year extension to his contract with the Champions League finalists that will keep him in Bavaria until 2011. The 27-year-old Turkey international made 15 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern last season and came off the bench to play in the Champions League final which Bayern lost 2-0 to Inter in Madrid.

Burnley: Burnley manager Brian Laws has made his second signing of the close season by snapping up striker Chris Iwelumo from Wolves for an undisclosed fee. Scotland international Iwelumo, 31, follows former Hull midfielder Dean Marney to Turf Moor after sealing a two-year deal.

St Pauli: Bundesliga new boys St Pauli have signed former Germany striker Gerald Asamoah. The 31-year-old, who won 43 caps for Germany, has signed a two-year contract at the Hamburg club after signing on a free transfer from Schalke.

Friendlies: Zimbabwe vs Brazil 0-3; Azerbaijan vs Honduras 0-0; Greece vs Paraguay 0-2; Norway vs Ukraine 0-1; Romania vs Macedonia 0-1; Belarus vs Sweden 0-1; Albania vs Andorra 1-0; Serbia vs Poland 0-0.

Serie B: Play-offs SFs (first legs) - Torino vs Sassuolo 1-1; Cittadella vs Brescia 0-1.

Viva World Cup: Kurdistan vs Provence 3-2; Occitania vs Gozo 5-0.

Boxing: Australia's Danny Green said he will defend his IBO cruiserweight world title next month against former sparring partner Paul Briggs, who is coming out of a three-year retirement. Green said he had had some bruising training sessions in the past with Briggs, 34, who twice fought Poland's Tomasz Adamek for a light heavyweight world title but has not been in action since February 2007. Green (29 wins, 3 defeats) will take on Briggs (26-3) in Sydney on July 21.

Basket, NBA: NBA star LeBron James has told CNN that the Cleveland Cavaliers "have an edge" in a fight over where he will play in the future because of his seven years with the team. The Chicago Bulls, New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks are among the clubs expected to make strong offers to lure James, 25, away from the Cavaliers, where his dreams of bringing a first NBA title to Cleveland has ended in disappointment.

Cricket: Injured Australia Test opener Phil Hughes is hopeful he will be fit and firing in time for the opening Ashes Test in Brisbane on November 25 after dislocating his shoulder in a training mishap last month. Hughes, who relinquished his position at the top of the order during the 2009 series in England, is expected to be sidelined until September after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder four weeks ago.

Rugby Union: England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson insists he will be fit in time for his country's first Test against Australia in Perth next week. Wilkinson suffered bruising below his ribcage in Toulon's European Challenge Cup final defeat against Cardiff Blues earlier this month and has yet to begin contact training as he continues his rehabilitation. The 31-year-old will miss England's opening tour fixture against the Australian Barbarians on Tuesday, but will be available for the entire tour.