"ECB behind Test championship"

The ECB are supportive of a world Test championship - and even claim to have been approached to host the final.
International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat had suggested England and India were the only countries blocking the proposed venture.
Various models have been put forward
However, England and Wales Cricket Board chiefs have been receptive to such a model for Test cricket for some time - their only concerns being over the mechanism employed.
Subsequent correspondence between the ECB and ICC on Tuesday was followed by a statement from ECB chief executive David Collier.
"England has consistently stated it supports a play-off for a Test championship," Collier said. "Indeed, Haroon Lorgat's own staff have approached ECB in the past month to stage the final in England, which was warmly received and supported by ECB."
Various models have been put forward in the past and all have potential pitfalls.
The current format would result in countries playing each other over a four-year cycle, with the highest-placed teams competing for the championship in a one-off match.
Such a qualification process, however, means an inevitable change in strength of teams given the length of time involved.
For example, no one would quibble with the fact England and Australia were the two best Test teams during the epic 2005 Ashes summer but neither could be classed in that bracket now.
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A shorter qualification period would theoretically provide a better reflection on current form.
But that would be problematic for leading nations such as England, in terms of revenue.
If the championship cycle was shortened, it would run the risk of money-spinning series against Australia, South Africa and India being shortened to accommodate matches against lesser draws such as Bangladesh, New Zealand and West Indies.
While there is global concern for the state of the Test game, it is still thriving in England, where a day's play against top-class opposition is seldom watched by anything other than a full house.
Sponsorship and television income is also based on the big campaigns.
"The original proposal from ICC for a two-year cycle with two years of an uncertain fixture programme in regard to the Test championship would have been detrimental to Test cricket and ECB's prime consideration is to ensure that Test cricket is at the pinnacle of the world game," Collier added.
"We are pleased that (ICC general manager) David Richardson has a full understanding of the benefits of the Test championship play-off system and that this is being actively pursued."
"Debate is growing all the time"
Earlier, Lorgat told the Guardian: "I would like to convince people that the way to ensure Test cricket survives is through a championship model.
"The only two countries who do not see the argument are India and England but debate is growing all the time.
"The MCC seem to have come out in favour but when I met the ECB recently it was the wrong time to tackle them in detail. They were too high on the Ashes.
"I don't understand their thinking. The original plan was to have a four-year cycle for the championship, which protects icon series like the Ashes. It was very doable. Our Future Tours Programme will meet as soon as the current schedule runs to May 2012.
"I would really like to see the Test championship included from there on."

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