Ashes unlikely to be broadcast on free-to-air TV

The chances of this year's Ashes series in England being seen live on Australian terrestrial television have receded with the news that the ABC is not considering a bid for the rights.

The Brisbane Courier-Mail quoted Ian Knight, ABC's head of television, as saying: "The ABC has to consider the needs of the whole ABC audience. We have to consider regular viewers would be deprived of some shows they have been watching for long periods. Also, we are not a rich organisation and it has been some time since we made a bid for commercial rights on a major sporting event."

Channel 9, who devote a lot of air-time to Australia's home series, say that the timing of this year's series is awkward for them: "We have Wimbledon, the AFL and the rugby league to fit in as well, so it is very hard to do justice to it all."

That leaves Channel 7, who broadcast the 2001 Ashes series from England, as the only realistic free-to-air contender - and with pay-TV channel Fox Sports having already purchased the rights and planning to broadcast every ball of the Tests and one-day internationals, it seems unlikely that 7 will make a bid.