Lord's has applied for permission to erect floodlights in 2009

The MCC is to explore the possibility of Lord's being used as a neutral venue for Test cricket.

The club is willing to allow overseas teams to use the ground during the English summers, if their national boards are interested in doing so.

However, with the Ashes series and Twenty 20 World Cup next year, such a match is unlikely until 2010.

"We are keen to host big matches at Lord's and are open to offers," said MCC chief executive Keith Bradshaw.

"We would have to work with international governing bodies - as we do with the England and Wales Cricket Board - because ultimately it would be up to them."

Lord's hosted Test matches between Australia and South Africa in 1912 but that was part of a triangular series, also involving England.

Since then, Pakistan have played Sri Lanka, West Indies and Australia at neutral venues but that was because of security concerns.

New Zealand are touring England this summer and the possibility of using Lord's as a neutral venue is not one which appeals to their captain, Daniel Vettori.

"I know Australia and Pakistan played against each other in Sharjah because of security reasons and I suppose if Lord's is a venue switch because of that then people would jump at it," he said.

"For any other reason it would be difficult because people love playing in front of their home fans and having home advantage."

If granted, the floodlights would be in place for the Twenty20 World Cup next summer and the MCC also wants to put them up at the start of each cricket season from 2009 for a period of five years.