ICC considers Test shake-up

The ICC could force Zimbabwe and Bangladesh to play a shorter programme of Test cricket in a shake-up of the current Test itineraries. ICC executives will meet in Lahore on October 15-16 to discuss possible changes to the Test programme, in which the ten Test nations currently play each other home and away over a five-year period.

One option is to allow the top eight nations to continue with this structure, while Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, the two lowest-ranked sides, are handed a "modified programme" which could mean them playing only home Test matches.

Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, told a news conference in London today: "It may be that there is an option for radical change to the structure. We set out to challenge the current thinking and assumptions."

Speed's statement follows a review conducted by the ICC after broadcasters and players complained about the high volume of cricket being played. But the ICC have decided not to remove Zimbabwe and Bangladesh from the future tours programme, having interviewed leading officials from all ten Test-playing nations, players' association representatives, commercial partners and players. Another idea, for four teams to play in a second tier of Test cricket, was thrown out because of insufficient interest in the proposal and the financial implications on world cricket.

"A small number of teams drive the economic health of cricket," confirmed an ICC spokesman, "and if we pushed one of those out into a lower division, we risk cutting cricket off at the knees."

The ICC also took on board complaints from players - including the England captain Michael Vaughan - who had voiced concerns over the number of back-to-back Test matches they are expected to play. Speed confirmed: "The boards will seek to avoid back-to-back Test matches, and when that is not possible an extra day will be introduced so that we do not have a Monday finish followed by a start to the next Test the following Thursday."

Speed concluded: "That's the decision of the chief executives and they are the people who put the schedules together - they are fully aware of the problems that back-to-back Tests present."