Headline! Ireland move closer to Test cricket status after ICC meeting

Ireland could be granted Test cricket status in April after a meeting of the International Cricket Council board in Dubai.

An agreement has been made to include them and Afghanistan in future plans.

At the meeting, the ICC also agreed the principle of a nine-team Test league, to be run over a two-year cycle, probably starting after the 2019 World Cup.

Final decisions will be made at the next ICC board meeting in April.

It is currently unclear if Ireland and Afghanistan would be able to play Tests straight away or will have to wait for the new structure of Test cricket to begin.