Out-going SBS managing director Nigel Milan has been all over the press gloating about the cricket ratings figures and basking in the glow. Of course, he’s accepted all responsibility.

However, those of us inside the SBS bunker will remember the last time we were offered the cricket. Nigel’s memo to all was a firm “NO!” It read something like: “It’s not in our charter… we’re not a cricket network… we have other aims and values… blah, blah, blah.”

Les Murray pushed the cricket hard, but Nigel was adamant that nothing would stop the Friday night Polish s*x movie of the week going to air. How would we explain to the five Polish viewers why their movie wasn’t on?

Come this week and what a big turnaround we have. I suspect Shaun Brown, the new TV head, is behind it all. He’s a good man and tough. Lord knows, a man like Shaun was needed at SBS. He has the vision, but no doubt Nigel will continue to pretend that it was all his idea.

In terms of pulling in those millions of viewers, SBS was simply lucky to score one of the great Tests in history.