Briefs-IRB to consider developing areas as next World Cup hosts

July 8 (Reuters) - Sports news in brief from around the world.

Rugby - The International Rugby Board will decide on the host nations for the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups at the same time and consider bids from developing markets, the sport's governing body said on its Web site (www.irb.com).

"We recognise that Rugby World Cup has to be held in one of our senior core markets on a regular basis," IRB and Rugby World Cup Ltd. chairman Bernard Lapasset said in a statement, adding that bidding begins this month with the final decision scheduled for July next year.

"However, the commercial success of the tournament also means we can now consider placing the tournament in new developing markets to assist the game's strategic growth. It is all about finding the right mix," he added.

Cricket - England will face Sri Lanka in two test matches and three one-day internationals in the build-up to next year's Ashes contest against Australia, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement.

Sri Lanka have stepped into the breach following the ECB's decision last month to cut bilateral ties with Zimbabwe, the originally planned opponents for May 2009.