DUBAI, UAE (CMC):

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has agreed new principles giving more control over cricket's future to England, India, and Australia.

A new ICC executive committee of five members, including representatives from the "Big Three" nations, received unanimous support from the 16-man board.

two-tier system

The inclusion of a fifth from outside the "Big Three" could be interpreted as a concession since under the draft proposals, the executive committee was mooted to have only four members. Other key changes include a new two-tier system, which could give ICC associate members such as Ireland the chance to play Test cricket, while a special fund is being created to help keep the five-day game alive.

The Test Cricket Fund will be paid equally on an annual basis to all full members except the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket Australia, and the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Also agreed to was an opportunity for all members to play all formats of cricket on merit, with participation based on merit-ocracy; no immunity for any country; and no change to membership status.

unanimously supported

"This is an important time for world cricket and it is extremely encouraging that the ICC Board has unanimously supported a set of far-reaching principles that will underpin the long-term prosperity of the global game," said ICC president, Alan Isaac.

The eight full members will no longer be obliged to play each other regularly after the Future Tours Programme was scrapped in favour of bilateral agreements between nations to cover Test series between 2015 and 2023.

The ICC has also decided to scrap the World Test Championship, scheduled for England in 2017, and bring back the Champions Trophy one-day tournament in its place.