The Ashes series could return to free-to-air television in the UK after being recommended for listed status among the 'Crown Jewels' of British sporting interest.

England's 2005 Ashes win, led by Michael Vaughan, was the last to be shown on terrestrial television. The ECB subsequently agreed a long-term deal with satellite subscription channel Sky Sports for exclusive series coverage, with free-to-air Channel Five picking up the highlights package.

As a result, significantly fewer cricket fans were able to witness Andrew Strauss guiding England to another 2-1 victory over the Aussies this summer - the first time a home Ashes series has not been available to the public at large.

I have fond memories of the 2005 win. Being desperate to see the closing stages, I was lucky enough to find a TV screen in a bar at Heathrow Airport after deciding to ditch the final leg of a flight to the North East of England from the USA.

The numbers of travellers abandoning their plans seemed to increase as the end drew closer, and despite the final Test ending in a draw it was enough for England to seal their first Ashes win since 1987. There was an almighty roar and much celebration across the airport as the match was finally declared a draw.

Indeed, as I later discovered, there was a national celebration throughout the UK. Even friends who did not like or follow cricket celebrated the victory as if the England football team had won the World Cup!

Sadly, this summer's win did not capture the hearts of the nation, with millions missing out, due largely to it not being readily available. Many people either switched to radio, or desperately refreshed Internet pages to keep up with the action, when in 2005 they would have been able to switch to Channel 4.

I never understood why the Ashes were removed from the safeguarded list of sporting events in 1998, and obviously welcomed the decision by the Minister of Sport Andy Burnham last December to call for a review of the list.

Despite being recommended for listed status, that isn't a guarantee that the Ashes will definitely move to FTA transmission after 2013, with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) the first in line to lobby the Government against the move.

I understand the ECB will coin some £100m a year from the latest deal with Sky Sports (agreed in 2008) that will take their coverage through to the next home Ashes series in 2013. But there has to be the right balance between revenue to be made from television rights and opening up the game to everyone.

One problem the ECB has with FTA transmission is that the publically-funded BBC has not bid for live coverage of any cricket since 1998, although it continues to broadcast the world-renowned Test Match Special through its radio stations 5Live, 5Live Sports Extra, and Radio 4 LW.

However, despite the fact that 100 BBC bosses are paid £20m a year in salaries, or sometimes-funnyman presenter Jonathan Ross has a reported £18m contract, the ECB has to remember that the BBC cannot throw around money when bidding for sports rights in the same way that Rupert Murdoch's Sky can.

It also cannot sell advertising slots in the way rival commercial free-to-air and satellite channels can.

Giles Clarke was the man to sell out to the satellite broadcaster, and when you're holding out to the highest bidder, you cannot seriously expect the BBC to be able to compete. There are too many people to satisfy in the money spent being justified.

Remember also that Clarke was the man to get into bed with Sir Allen Stanford in his desperation to attract revenue. We all know what happened next.

By restricting live coverage to a subscription service that isn't available to everyone, you reduce the viewing numbers, and prevent many youngsters from watching a game they already love, or may come to love.

The general public want the Ashes series on free-to-air television, and with more people watching cricket and interested in the sport, we should ultimately see more people going to county matches, and wanting to attend Test matches, which in turn, brings more money into the game.

I agree with Henry Blofeld that exposure of the sport is as good and as important as the financial rewards from television rights. Maximum publicity of the Ashes, and England generally will attract revenue in other ways, and prevent the game from bordering on elitest.

There is plenty of time for negotiation here as I believe it would be difficult for the changes to be made before the expected General Election next May.

The ECB may be unhappy, but what about the millions of people who missed out on watching the Ashes, and will again miss out in 2013?

Football fans have been waiting more than 40 years for England to win the World Cup again, a tournament that requires almost 18 months to secure qualification to the finals.

In cricket, England have a 50/50 chance of winning something more important to them than a World Cup - and fans have to wait for the highlights show to watch it.

It's ridiculous. Greed is driving this, and the ECB needs to get a grip and do what is best by the sport's supporters, not what is best for the bank balance.

The rights deal with Sky Sports has been ongoing since 2005, and a large amount of money has already been received, and will continue to be received up to 2013, and probably beyond.

Sky Sports has a monopoly on cricket television coverage - with live coverage of all English county cricket, and international cricket shown on their four channels. I find it hard to believe that the ECB will suffer that greatly if the Ashes is taken away from Sky.