NO Toss in Test Cricket

New Delhi, May 18: The International Cricket Council is considering scrapping the coin toss in test matches.

A toss of the coin has been used to decide which team bats first since tests started in 1877, with the home team captain tossing the coin and the visiting skipper calling heads or tails.

But worries about home teams manipulating pitch conditions sees the ICC's cricket committee meeting this month to review the format with the suggested alternative seeing the visiting team automatically given the option of batting or bowling first.

The committee will also discuss the points system for the new Test championship to be launched with the Ashes series in England next year. They will decide the number of points for winning series as well as individual Tests to try and ensure there is something riding on dead rubbers when one team has already won the series.