Incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves puts his case for Tests being chopped to four days

Traditional format of game being looked at

A view of Lord's (GETTY IMAGES)

The outspoken incoming chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Colin Graves, has confirmed that reducing Test matches to four days remains on the agenda.

The radical proposal, which the governing body can put forward to the International Cricket Council for discussion, was first revealed in a leaked document in February.

Graves told MCC’s website, lords.org: “Personally, I think we should look at four-day Test cricket and play 105 overs a day, starting at 10.30am, and finish when you finish as all the grounds now have lights.

“Every Test match would start on a Thursday, with Thursday and Friday being corporate days and then Saturday and Sunday the family days.

“From a cost point of view you’d lose that fifth day, which would save a hell of a lot of money from the ground’s point of view and the broadcasters. I would look at that.”

When the “Strategy Conversation Summary” was made public, the ECB confirmed that it was “in the early stages of formulating a long-term strategy for the game in England and Wales, which we anticipate will take a year to complete”.

Graves, whose five-year tenure will begin on 15 May, and the new ECB chief executive, Tom Harrison, have held initial discussions on the future of the County Championship and a proposed Premier League for the domestic Twenty20 competition.

The outspoken Yorkshire businessman has also caused controversy by saying that Kevin Pietersen could return to the England team, a year after he was sacked.