That decision after the 1999 World Cup left the way open for Channel Four and Sky TV. And, while they have both given cricket massive coverage, it's a shame that Andy Flintoff's exploits have not been immortalised on the Beeb.
The BBC are the losers. Channel Four's audience on Saturday afternoon as England moved in for the kill was 15.1 per cent of the TV audience - that's 4.1m viewers.
On that unforgettable Sunday morning it rose to 48 per cent of the audience - 4.3m fans roaring on England from their living rooms.
Channel Four executives were suicidal when they lost the TV rights to Sky in last year's auction - the satellite company take over Test match coverage for three years from next summer.
But at least the terrestial channel will go out in a blaze of glory as the Ashes battle reaches its climax.
Viewing figures for this week's Old Trafford clash will soar if Freddie and his mates can produce another brilliant performance and go 2-1 up.
Sky are picking up the crumbs from Channel Four's feast, screening highlights. But from 2006 they will virtually monopolise TV cricket, at county, one-day international and Test level, and fans without a ticket for the game or without a Sky box will miss out.
That's bad for cricket. England officials claim that the vast amounts of cash Sky are ready to splash out will boost the game in general, but new fans are being attracted day by day and cricket can't afford to lose them.
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A strong and timely comment article by Colin Evans.
This could be the last Old Trafford test ever to be broadcast on terrestrial television.
Does anyone remember the exciting Pakistan test match at Old Trafford in 2001 when Thorpe scored a brilliant century? It was the only test of that ashes summer to be broadcast live on Sky and it seemed that no-one other than the lucky spectators in the ground saw it live or talked about it afterwards.
The English cricket authorities should be held to account for their myopic approach. They have given Sky a total monopoly on ALL live cricket coverage.
Sky cover one-day and 20/20 games very well but Channel 4's award-winning test coverage has been superb.
All that will be left on free-to-air TV will be 45 minutes of highlights on channel five, which will be produced and edited by Sky.
The innovation and vitality of Sunset and Vine's coverage for Channel 4 will be lost completely together with Mark Nicholas, Richie Benaud and Simon Hughes, the analyst.
How many children will casually watch test cricket on sky sports?
County chiefs and ECB must answer for their actions and the BBC as our national broadcaster should be castigated for not even making a bid to cover our national summer game.