TNT Sports is close to securing live UK rights for England’s white-ball tour of Australia next month in a deal that could see one of the matches broadcast free-to-air (FTA) on Channel 5.

The Guardian has learned that Channel 5 is also in advanced talks with Cricket Australia over a highlights package for the eight-match tour, with the terrestrial broadcaster also in discussions over securing live rights for one of the five T20 internationals.

Channel 5 has live rights for two home men’s and two women’s T20s each summer in a four-year deal that began this year, but has never broadcast an England match from overseas.

While the finer details are still being discussed, the opening T20 of the five-match series in Melbourne on 21 November is the game of greatest interest to Channel 5, as the start time of 8.15am on a Saturday morning is likely to attract the biggest UK audience.

If the deal is completed it would be the first time an England overseas game has been broadcast FTA since Channel 4 picked up the…