FOX Sports and the Nine Network announced an agreement with the ESPN STAR Sports ("ESS") to provide live TV coverage of ICC cricket events from 2008 through to 2011.

The ICC rights deal encompasses key international events including; the 2008 and 2010 ICC Champions Trophy tournaments, the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009 and the ICC Cricket World Cup scheduled in the sub continent in 2011.

ESPN STAR Sports through its affiliate, EML, holds the exclusive global telecast rights from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for all of their events from 2007 to 2015.

David Malone, CEO of Fox Sports said: "We are delighted to be continuing our relationship with ESS and the ICC in partnership with the Nine Network. In securing the joint rights to ICC events we are demonstrating our ongoing commitment to delivering viewers coverage of the Australian cricket team overseas."

"Fox Sports is pleased to be able to provide subscribers live coverage of every match played as part of upcoming ICC events."

Nine Network Chief Executive Officer, David Gyngell, said: "We are genuinely delighted to have formed this partnership with Fox Sports which underscores the long term commitment we have to investing in first-class content.

"Nine is committed to bringing Australian audiences the best free television coverage from the cricket championships as part of our ongoing support of the official Australian Cricket team events."

Manu Sawhney, Managing Director of ESPN STAR Sports, said: "We are very pleased to extend our relationship with Fox Sports and Nine Network. Australian cricket fans can now look forward to catching the action from all major ICC Events for the next four years on either a pay TV platform through FOX SPORTS or through terrestrial television through Nine."

Under the agreement with the ESS, the Nine Network and Fox Sports will broadcast coverage from the ICC Cricket World Cup and the ICC World Twenty20 while Fox Sports will broadcast all matches from the ICC Champions Trophy tournaments in 2008 and 2010.

Fox Sports will also broadcast live and exclusive coverage of Australia’s overseas cricket tours to the West Indies and India later this year.

(Source: Fox Sports)