ICC gives green light to Test league

The International Cricket Council has approved (ICC) has provisionally approved the introduction of a Test League, it has been announced.

The ICC chief executives’ committee (CEC) has recommended setting up a Test league that would include a play-off with the four top teams to crown a champion.

An ICC statement read: “These recommendations seek to give exciting content and context for international cricket within the Future Tours Programme (FTP) after 2012.”

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat added: “We have agreed in principle to exciting and far-reaching proposals to tackle this most important issue.

“Achieving balance and unanimous agreement is not easy but we have responded well to a strategic priority to restructure international cricket.

“The proposals, especially introducing more meaningful context, means we now have the potential to follow international cricket that is even more exciting.”

The ICC wants to introduce the Test league in 2013 and also agreed to a one-day league first running from 2011-14 and separate from the Cricket World Cup.