The Ashes is one of the few Test series with something meaningful at stake

A Test league and play-off system intended to make all matches more competitive has moved a step closer.

Results will determine an official table, with the top four teams going head-to-head to decide a Test champion.

The development is in the form of six recommendations to be delivered to the International Cricket Council board from its chief executives' committee.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat says the board will convene "as soon as possible" to discuss the proposal.

"Restructuring international cricket is a significant strategic challenge and one that must be dealt with," said Lorgat after a two-day chief executives' committee meeting in Cape Town this week.

"Achieving balance and unanimous agreement is not easy but it is a very important piece of work that requires a strategic response.

"We now have the potential to follow international cricket that is even more exciting."

The CEC's meeting in Cape Town provided the following proposals:

- The play-off should be held once every four years to determine the Test champion team with a request to hold the first such play-off in 2013

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- The future tours programme should also consist of a one-day international league, the first to run from April 2011 until April 2014, culminating in the crowning of a one-day international league champion. This would run separate to the ICC Cricket World Cup

- That the ICC Board should consider a 10-team format for the ICC's flagship event, the ICC Cricket World Cup, from 2015

- That the ICC Board should consider a 16-team format for the men's ICC World Twenty20 from 2012, with the women's event continuing to run alongside

- The introduction of Twenty20 International rankings table as soon as this is justifiable

Crowds at Test venues have dropped in many countries as the popularity of limited overs cricket, especially Twenty20, has increased thus prompting the ICC to search for ways to generate renewed interest in the more traditional formats.

"I am grateful to the CEC and its working group for making such far-reaching proposals to tackle this important issue," added Lorgat.

"Achieving balance and unanimous agreement is not easy but it is a very important piece of work that requires a strategic response.

"The holistic set of proposals, especially introducing more meaningful context, means we now have the potential to follow international cricket that is even more exciting.

"Protecting and promoting all three formats at international level is viable and I believe the CEC has shown itself to be forward thinking in tackling the challenges."

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