The Nine Network has won the rights to broadcast Australian cricket for the next five years in a deal worth $550 million to Cricket Australia.
The Nine Network will broadcast Test, one-day international and Twenty20 matches, it confirmed in its main Monday evening news bulletin.
The deal was sealed hours before a deadline with Cricket Australia and over the top of a $500 million rival offer by Network Ten earlier this month.
Nine's chief executive David Gyngell said in a prepared statement the deal set the network as a bigger, better and more profitable business.
"Make no mistake, as a result of this deal, Nine Entertainment is a larger, stronger and more profitable company than it was yesterday," Mr Gyngell said.
Ten has won the rights to broadcast the domestic Big Bash series.
Nine's successful bid for a five-year deal to broadcast the cricket was well above the estimated amount paid jointly by Nine and Fox Sports of nearly $60 million each year.
Nine has broadcast international cricket matches for 36 years.
Also, in a separate deal worth about $350 million, it's believed Nine is about to purchase the WIN station in Adelaide and has undertaken to purchase the WIN Perth station, most likely next year.