Sutherland pushes for Champions Trophy warm-up

Cricket Australia has confirmed its plans for a Champions Trophy warm-up series in the "new frontiers" of Malaysia and Singapore in September. Australia, West Indies and India could line-up in the mini-tournament and James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, hoped more details would be finalised this week.

"It would be exciting to bring the game to newer cricketing frontiers and to showcase some of the best players in the world," he said. "I'm sure such a tournament will be a great success and further strengthen our relationships with Asian cricketing countries."

The Malaysian and Singapore cricket associations have supported the proposal and Sutherland said the matches would be an important lead-up to the Champions Trophy in India in October. "We hope we're close to being able to put this important tournament in place," he said. "The Australian team last played one-day international cricket in Bangladesh in April, so it's important for us that this opportunity is used."