ICC ponders the effect of Twenty20

The impact that the Twenty20 format is having on the game and how best to protect and promote Test cricket will form one of the key discussions at the two-day ICC cricket committee, which is meeting in Dubai.

The trialling of an umpires' decision review system, the formulation of playing conditions for the ICC Champions Trophy 2008 and ICC World Twenty20 2009 and the results of ICC-commissioned research into such issues as volume of cricket and bad light will also be on the agenda.

The committee will discuss international cricket as the pinnacle of the game, the protection and promotion of Test cricket, the impact of Twenty20 cricket on other formats of the game and the impact of domestic leagues on the international game.

It will also finalise the playing conditions to be adopted for the proposed trail of the umpire review system, which is intended to take place at the Lord's Test in July.

Another matter to be considered is a proposal to allow the batting side to choose when to take one of the three Powerplays, something that could be tested as soon as September at the ICC Champions Trophy.

The committee will submit its recommendations for consideration by the chief executive's committee and the full ICC board in July. However, there is no guarantee that anything put forward by the committee will be approved. In 2007 several suggestions put forward by it were rejected by the board.

The committee is chaired by former India captain Sunil Gavaskar and packed with highly respected figures within the world of cricket, including David Richardson, the ICC's acting CEO, former Australia captain Mark Taylor, ex-Pakistan captain Majid Khan and Michael Holding, the former West Indies fast bowler.