Cricket: ICC boss hints at four-day tests

ICC president David Morgan says change is coming to test cricket. Photo / Getty Images

WORCESTER - International Cricket Council president David Morgan has suggested that test matches could be reduced from five to four days as part of a major overhaul of the game's traditional format.

The suggestion comes because of the need for the sport to remain relevant in an increasingly time-poor world and as a reaction to the increasing popularity to the Twenty20 format.

"Another thought that many people have, that we are examining is whether test match cricket can be played over four days rather than five," Morgan told the India Today magazine.

"I would be very surprised if within a year you haven't seen some significant changes in test match cricket."

Morgan believed it wouldn't be too difficult for players to make a mental shift to playing from five days to four.

He said that test cricket needed to be tweaked and that special cricket balls must be made to facilitate night tests in white clothing.

"We need better over-rates, better pitches that give a good balance between bat and ball and we need to consider day-night test cricket," Morgan said.

"There is great support for it, the issue is the colour of the ball and the quality of the ball.

"It would be a pity if test match cricket - day-night - had to be played with a white ball and therefore coloured clothing.

"We are looking very closely at ball manufacturing design that replicates a red ball, maybe an orange ball, a ball that could still allow us to play in white clothing and still at night."

- AAP