International vision for Sydney and Melbourne

Sydney and Melbourne viewers will see every international home game live as part of Cricket Australia's new seven-year deal with the Nine Network. James Sutherland, Cricket Australia's chief executive, said the proposed change in the long-standing policy, which previously meant showing only sold out games in the host cities, was motivated by Nine's ability to ensure access to a mass audience.

The new seven-year contract, which is worth an average of $45million a year, will begin in April 2006, but viewers in Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart and Perth will have to wait until all tickets are sold at their home grounds before watching entire matches from their lounge chairs. However, Sutherland suggested the agreement could be altered in consultation with the Melbourne Cricket Club and the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust.

Sutherland said the contract, signed well before the expiry date, allowed Cricket Australia to focus on driving and supporting participation levels through school and club cricket. "We are delighted that we were able to negotiate a significantly increased contract with Nine, particularly in a period where there is a lot of uncertainty in the Australian sporting media rights market," he said.

Gary Fenton, the Nine Network Australia head of sport, said cricket was an integral part of the company's history and a key to Australia's sporting culture. "We look forward to making the game even more accessible to our cricket loving television audiences in Sydney and Melbourne," he said. Nine has held the television rights since 1979.