On the Front Foot: Championship for Tests is top idea while it's Howard's way to win votes

Amid less fanfare than that generated by a vuvuzela, the International Cricket Council are putting the finishing touches to the agenda for their annual convention. There is important business at hand. The gathering is being held in Singapore rather than London, which is always the first choice in these matters. The tricky items on the agenda will be the candidacy for vice-president (and thence president) of John Howard, the former Prime Minister of Australia, which has already failed once to gain assent. If it falls again it spells trouble for the ICC because India will be at the head of his opponents. It is too close to call but Howard has a history of winning elections. Of much more direct importance is the introduction of the Test match championship. In future, should the delegates agree, this could be held every four years. It will involve the four leading teams in the rankings and is a cracking idea. Unfortunately for England, were it to be held this year, they would not be part of it, being at present fifth. The intention is to have a (more compact) World Cup every four years with a World Twenty20 involving more teams biennially. It sounds at last as if the cricket authorities have emerged with something not only workable but supportable and durable. First, the delegates have to agree, of course. And then there is the niggling matter of the 2011 World Cup with its 14 teams and 42 days in 13 cities. That may take a while from which to recover, longer to forgive.

Zimbabwe on way back

London was replaced as the venue for the ICC bash because Peter Chingoka, the chairman of Cricket Zimbabwe, is still banned from entering the United Kingdom. But Zimbabwean cricket is being rehabilitated. An ICC delegation led by the president, David Morgan, visited earlier this month and were astonished. It is also being suggested that they will be fully restored to the fold next summer when, after a break of almost six years, they hope to play Bangladesh in a Test series. Nothing is yet certain and Zimbabwean officials are being nothing if not contrite. But it will happen, and then England must decide what to do. Perhaps advice should be sought from Morgan, who got into a tangle last time around.

Review the review system

Soon the issue of the decision review system must be resolved. Although its use is now official policy, it is of the daisy variety: some days it is and some days it isn't. It was not used in the recent Tests between England and Bangladesh but it is being used in the series between West Indies and South Africa. Although the technology was present, Sky TV were reluctant to foot the bill in this country, though presumably TWI, who are broadcasting the Caribbean series, have been more generous with the cash-strapped West Indies board. Could it be that Sky, already paying £300m for broadcast rights to make English cricket the (rich) envy of the world, are miffed about who should pay for the implementation of what is the game's regulation?

T20 hits bum note

Official figures yet to come in but the Friends Provident Twenty20 is beginning to look, in a supporter sense, a huge failure. Too many games, too few people (hope they were all insured). Watching on telly has been a desultory experience. Perhaps they should give the spare crowds free vuvuzelas.

s.brenkley@independent.co.uk