Cricket Australia is poised to announce a huge broadcast rights deal worth at least $1 billion as soon as Friday, with the sport returning in least at part to pay-television network Foxtel and poised to depart in full from Nine Entertainment Co for the first time in four decades.

Administrators of the sport were locked in talks with executives of both Seven West Media and Network Ten on Thursday night regarding a free-to-air partner for Foxtel, The Australian Financial Review has been told.

Under terms of the deal being thrashed out, either Seven or Ten would gain the rights to all international test matches and some of the domestic Big Bash League.

Cricket will have new broadcasters THEMBA HADEBE

Foxtel, jointly owned by News Corporation and Telstra, would have exclusive rights to some BBL matches and at least simulcast live test and limited-overs international matches.

Sources said Cricket Australia will be able to announce the deal is worth at least $1 billion, but the length of the contract could extend to at least seven years - more than the six years the governing body proposed in the tender documents it recently sent to broadcasters.