ICC wants to save Tests from Twenty20 lure

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The International Cricket Council (ICC) will look at ways to protect Test cricket in the wake of Twenty20's growing impact at a two-day board meeting starting in Dubai on Monday.

The India Premier League (IPL) was launched last month involving several high-profile players and has taken the cricket world by storm with the England board also planning their own league.

"Following the changing cricket landscape after the explosion of Twenty20 cricket, the committee will discuss international cricket as the pinnacle of the game, the impact of Twenty20 cricket on other formats of the game and the impact of domestic leagues on the international game," an ICC statement said.

The lure of the IPL has been such that several Australia and New Zealand players put the games ahead of country commitments, including tours of West Indies and England respectively.

The ICC are also facing calls to carve a window in their Future Tours Programme for the league.

The Dubai meeting will also finalise details of this year's ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup in England, as well as trialing an umpires' decision review system.

(Reporting by N.Ananthanarayanan, Editing by Alastair Himmer)

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