Briefs 3-Former FIFA soccer referee Bodenham to umpire cricket

Nov 10 (Reuters) - Sports news in brief from around the world on Monday.

Cricket - Former FIFA soccer referee Martin Bodenham has been named in the England and Wales Cricket Board's list of first-class cricket umpires for the 2009 season.

Bodenham will become the only man to have refereed both top-flight football and umpired first class cricket matches in England and Wales.

"When I retired as a football referee 10 years ago I took up umpiring," said the 58-year-old, who refereed two FA Cup semi-finals. "Cricket is and always has been my major sporting passion."

Field hockey - The Indian government has stopped its junior hockey team from touring Pakistan for security reasons. The Indian team were due to reach Lahore via the Wagah border on Monday for a five-test series from Tuesday.

"The Indian government was not satisfied with the security plan we had prepared for their team and they are not coming now," Qasim Zia, the President of the Pakistan hockey federation, said.

Soccer - Nigeria will rest several key players for their friendly against Colombia in Cali on Nov. 19, preferring to use the match to experiment with new talent.

The Nigerian Football Association confirmed that coach Shaibu Amodu had omitted Obafemi Martins of Newcastle United, Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel and Portsmouth's John Utaka from his squad. (Compiled by John Mehaffey)