Cricket: Lamb urges caution

Tim Lamb, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, poured cold water on proposals for a year-long championship of Test cricket.

The issue is due to be debated by an International Cricket Council committee, who are to report back at a meeting in Calcutta in December. But Lamb is not keen on an idea which would commit the national team to 16 Tests in a year.

"We certainly accept the principle of a world Test championship, but to us it first has to be thought through," Lamb said. "The main thing we would want from the committee is some research into whether the public want to see a Test championship and in what form.

"Is there conclusive proof that people want such a tournament, which would have to be played over quite a long period of time? We need to study all aspects of what it would entail. Let's do our market research first."