Malcolm Speed wants referees to get tough on bad behaviour

He insisted that nothing too draconian would be enforced, because Test cricket is "dog eat dog with big dogs - and we don't seek to change that at all."

But he added: "We will take out from the game any personal, offensive sledging."

Speed said the maximum fine a match referee could impose would no longer have a ceiling of 75 per cent of a player's match fee.

And referees, in the new regime, could also impose a ban of more than three Tests or six one-dayers, he added.

Meanwhile, fellow Australian, chairman Malcom Gray, said match-fixing had to be eradicated within a year.

He said: "We all must learn from this dark period in the game.

"From now on, all cricket fans around the world must be able to believe that what they see is about skill and ability rather than anything fraudulent."

It is thought up to US$250 million is bet on every single international match.

Speed announced plans for an elite panel of eight neutral umpires to control all Tests. Five match referees, reduced from 20, will oversee their work.

These proposals are expected to come into force next April.