Proteas announce plans for four-day Test

South Africa have announced plans for a innovative four-day Test against Zimbabwe this summer and are hopeful the International Cricket Council will give the match official Test status.

The Proteas confirmed their intentions for a four-day, pink-ball Test against their African neighbours to be played in Port Elizabeth from December 26 to 29.

"It will be the first-ever four-day day-night Test match and hopefully we will get International Cricket Council approval at their meeting in October to have an official Test match played over four days," Cricket South Africa chief executive Haroon Lorgat said.

The ICC Test match playing conditions presently dictate that matches shall consist of five days, but Tests of varying lengths have been staged throughout history. 

Three and four day matches were staged in the 1800s, while Australia played a 2005 match against a World XI (which was granted official Test status by the ICC) that was allotted six days, though it finished in four.

Australia coach Darren Lehmann has previously indicated he's open to the concept of four-day Tests, while the likes of former Test captains Greg Chappell and Mark Taylor have also backed the idea.

South Africa also confirmed India will play three Test this summer after months of negotiation.

The first Test will start in Cape Town on January 5 while details of the remaining two Tests as well as six one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals will be announced later.

Lorgat admitted it had been necessary “to compromise to some extent” in order to fit in a tour between the end of India’s series against Sri Lanka, ending on December 24, and the start of a Test series between South Africa and Australia starting on March 1.

“The time constraints faced by India have forced us to reduce the Test matches to three while increasing white ball cricket to six ODIs and three T20I matches,” said Lorgat.

The original plan was for four Tests, three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals.

The compromise over the India itinerary left a gap for what has become a traditional Boxing Day Test in South Africa.

That gap will be filled by Zimbabwe, who have not played a Test in South Africa since 2004/05.

Lorgat also said there were new floodlights at Port Elizabeth’s St George’s Park. 

With a total of ten Test matches - two against Bangladesh, one against Zimbabwe, three against India and four against Australia - it will be South Africa’s busiest Test summer.

Cricket South Africa wanted the first Test against India to start on December 26 but India want to spend time in South Africa after the end of the Sri Lanka series. They will play a two-day practice match in Paarl on December 30 and 31.