NEW England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves has confirmed the shortening of Test matches to four days is on his agenda.The radical proposal, not in the gift of the ECB but something the national governing body could press for in international negotiations, first came to prominence via a leaked document at the start of this year.

The ECB confirmed back then, after the contents of a ‘Strategy Conversation Summary’ reached the public domain, 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 officially begin in May, and new ECB chief executive Tom Harrison have had initial discussions about future proposals for the county championship and a possible ‘English Premier League’ Twenty20 competition.
The new chairman has been high-profile over the winter months, particularly after his indication that there may yet be a way back into Test cricket for Kevin Pietersen – sacked last year after England’s Ashes whitewash in Australia.
He has the structure of Test cricket in his sights too, setting out his suggestions for the pinnacle format in this country.
Graves told the MCC’s website, lords.org: “Personally, I think we should look at four-day Test cricket and play 105 overs a day starting at 10:30hrs in the morning, 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.”(PA Sport)