Four-day test between Zimbabwe and South Africa gets green light

The International Cricket Council has given a go-ahead to a trial four-day test match involving South Africa and Zimbabwe.

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The match will take place on Boxing Day in South Africa.

A trial phase aimed at improving the longer version of the game will continue to be carried out after that but as per discussion between bilateral agreements.

ICC Chief Executive Dave Richardson told reporters in Auckland:

Throughout the discussions about the future of Test cricket it became clear that whilst context is crucial we must also consider alternatives and trial initiatives that may support the future viability of test cricket.
The trial is exactly that, a trial, just in the same way day-night Tests and technology have been trialed.

The modalities of those matches such as number of overs per day and so forth will be revealed son.

Also announced is a nine team test league which will exclude Zimbabwe and new test nations Afghanistan and Ireland initially. It will see the top 9 sides play six series over two years from 2019 and the top two play a test final at Lords at the end 2020.

Richardson says the existence of the four-day format will actually benefit the three excluded:

Four-day Tests will also provide the new Test-playing countries with more opportunities to play the longer version of the game against more experienced opponents, which, in turn, will help them to hone their skills and close the gap with the top nine ranked teams.

Also announced is a thirteen team One Day International league which will also double as World Cup Qualification. It will kick off in 2021.