Dubai, Feb. 11 : The second annual two-day ICC Broadcaster and Sponsor Forum was held in Dubai this week.

The forum brought together all ICC's major commercial partners - ESPN STAR Sports, Reliance Mobile, LG Electronics, Pepsico, Yahoo!, Emirates Airline and Reebok - as well as the ICC's main suppliers and service providers.

The theme of the forum was partnerships and ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat told the meeting that it was incumbent on the ICC to forge successful partnerships with the commercial sector.

Dubai, Feb. 10 : The accreditation process for all members of the media intending to cover the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier (CWCQ) is now open.

Members of the media who wish to carry out their work at the event are urged to submit their applications before the close of business on Friday 20 February 2009 (Dubai time).

The tournament will see the world's top 12 Associate and Affiliate teams compete at nine venues in 19 days from 1 to 19 April. Three of the nine grounds - at Benoni, Potchefstroom and Centurion - are ODI-accredited venues.

Dubai - A gas tanker burst into flames after it collided with a container ship off the coast of Dubai on Tuesday, the Emirates News Agency WAM reported.

The ship, which the news agency identified as the "Kashmir," collided with a container ship about 5 kilometres from the Jabil Ali port, which is about 35 kilometres south-west of Dubai.

A spokesman for the Dubai ports authority DP World told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that the collision took place at 12:23 pm (0823 GMT). He said he was unable to confirm the name or the owners of either of the two ships involved.

Two crewmen were rescued from the water with light injuries, the spokesman said, and no one else was injured.

Dubai, Feb. 10 : The ICC today confirmed the schedule for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2009 to take place from 1 to 19 April in South Africa.

With three ODI venues being used, including Willowmoore Park in Benoni and Potchefstroom for group and Super Eight matches and Centurion for the final on 19 April, the event will enjoy first-class facilities.

In total there are nine venues being used for 54 matches played over 19 days with 12 teams fighting it out for the four qualification places on offer in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

Dubai, Feb. 9 : India has slipped back to third in the Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Championship table following defeat in the fifth and final match of its away series against Sri Lanka.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team had moved ahead of Australia and to within four ratings points of leader South Africa when it went 4-0 up in the series but a combination of Sri Lanka's strong showing in the final ODI and Australia beating New Zealand in the third ODI of its ongoing five-match series has meant they have returned to third position.

Karachi, Feb. 1 : Pakistan will be playing a three nation one-day international series in Dubai in April 2009.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will be the other two teams taking part in the tournament, The Nations reports.

According to the Pakistan Cricket coach Intikhab Alam, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Sports City, and the proposed tri-series is a part of the same.

Commenting on the refusal of the Australian cricket team to tour Pakistan due to security concerns, Alam said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is ready to host the Kangaroos on any neutral venue also.