Test league moves closer

The International Cricket Council have moved a step closer to creating a Test league and play-off series after a two-day meeting in Cape Town.

The governing body have laid out plans for a four-year-long Test championship, with the winners of the competition being decided by a four-team play-off series.

An inaugural play-off series has been provisionally scheduled for 2013, with England being mooted as possible hosts for the event.

The proposal, which has been recommended by the CEC, will have to be reviewed by the ICC board for consideration before it is given the green light to go ahead.

"I am really excited by what the CEC has proposed," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said.

"Restructuring international cricket is a significant strategic challenge and one that must be dealt with.

Important

"I am grateful to the CEC and its working group for making such far-reaching proposals to tackle this important issue.

"Achieving balance and unanimous agreement is not easy but it is a very important piece of work that requires a strategic response.

"The holistic set of proposals, especially introducing more meaningful context, means we now have the potential to follow international cricket that is even more exciting.

"Protecting and promoting all three formats at international level is viable and I believe the CEC has shown itself to be forward thinking in tackling the challenges.

"I am now encouraged to engage with the ICC Executive Board to consider these proposals as soon as possible."

Several other ideas were put forward by the CEC, including a new one-day international league that would run from April 2011 to April 2014.

Proposals to reduce the number of teams in the 50-over World Cup, increase the participants in the World Twenty20 to 16 and create a rankings table for the 20-over game were also made.