Doig returned this week from the International Cricket Council annual meeting in England optimistic a four-yearly cycle where each test-playing nation meets each other will be introduced by 2001.

Doig said he had put a lot of effort into providing rotating four, five, and six-year cycles.

``There was a consensus of support for it but Australia was very firm about being locked into a four-year cycle with its sponsors and tour obligations.

``They have a very good programme and no need to change. Whether they play Zimbabwe is irrelevant to them but there is a general acceptance on countries all playing one another over four years.''

Doig said if a regular cycle could be sustained it would benefit the minnows of the game, who struggle to get regular series against the traditional test powers, Australia, South Africa, England, and West Indies.

``If we can achieve the objective of everybody meeting everybody it would be a huge step forward for the game, providing uniformity of guarantees and some meaningful rankings.''

Doig said the intention would be for the top four to play off at the end of the four-year cycle. Less likely may be the introduction of a World Cup of test cricket, where all the teams played each other in September and October during a four-yearly cycle.

ICC president Jamoghan Dalmiya has said it is still under consideration but issues of timing and commercial conflict need to be resolved.

``It is probably prudent to get the four yearly test cycle sorted out properly before moving onto another step,'' Doig said.

Doig said his five-year cycle had included Bangladesh as a test-playing nation, which would probably not happen for some years yet.

Meanwhile, Doig said the portable pitch trial at Lancaster Park last March was well received.

``We showed a video of the pitch being installed and uplifted and people were singularly impressed.''

Doig said a first-class match will be played there this season but he was unable to say yet if it will be before or after Christmas.

A hybrid version of Cricket Max, called Super Max will be played in New Zealand this season.

Australia's Allan Border, who supports Super 8s, and New Zealand's Martin Crowe, who promotes Cricket Max, presented a proposal to the meeting.

An amalgamation of the games, Super Max, with teams playing eight batsmen and with a Max zone will be trialed at three tournaments in Kuala Lumpur (July), Hong Kong and a world event at Perth in October.

Doig said a one innings 10-over-a-side series would be played at tournaments enabling matches to be played in 1½ hours, which was ideal for television.

Two innings 10-overs a side games will be played in league competitions, including the round-robin domestic championship.