The multicultural broadcaster beat off a competing bid by the ABC and is expected to broadcast all five Test matches from England.
The modest $1.2million deal reportedly came after "gentle prodding" by the Prime Minister and Communications Minister Helen Coonan, reports the AusSport Post.
It followed public outrage that this year's Ashes, tipped to be one of the most competitive for years, would only be seen on pay-TV.
Securing the free-to-air rights for the series will earn SBS plaudits from its government paymaster, with Canberra pouring in about $150million each year. But Australia's multicultural lobby is likely to question why a broadcaster set up to offer a programming alternative to the commercial networks and the ABC is screening a series of Anglo cricket matches.
The Australian newspaper revealed last month that the ABC was in secret talks with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for free-to-air broadcast rights. But the broadcaster's original offer, $500,000, was rejected by the ECB. It is understood that a revised offer was also knocked back because it was unwilling to show all the games on its primary free-to-air channel.
It is thought this development will take some of the heat out of a debate on the effectiveness of the Government's anti-siphoning rules - supposed to ensure major sporting and cultural events were available on free-to-air television.
