ICC considering ditching coin toss

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is planning to ditch the coin toss from the inaugural Test Championships starting from 2019.

If this proposal is agreed to ditch the coin toss for all Test matches, next year's Ashes between Australia and England will be the first series played without the traditional toss.

Briefing notes for an ICC committee meeting at the end of this month indicate time may be up for the toss in the majority of Tests to help address concerns about exaggerated home advantage.

The toss is a pre-match staple on the first morning of Tests and has been throughout the format's near 150-year history.

However, depending on the deliberations of the ICC's cricket committee in Mumbai, it may be sacrificed in time for the Ashes - due to be the starting point for matches which will count towards the inaugural Test championship.

Instead, the visiting captain would simply be given the option of whether to bat or bowl first - depending on his reading of conditions - although it is understood the change will not pertain to bilateral series outside the Test championship.