Top names back plans to stop the Test rot

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The pair are part of the MCC World Cricket Committee, which is to recommend the new competition to the International Cricket Council as one of a number of initiatives to preserve Test matches.

Waugh was captain of the all-conquering Australian Test side from 1999 until 2003, while Dravid has played 134 Tests for India and averages almost 53 with the bat.

"There is are world titles to be won in Twenty20 and 50-over cricket, but Test cricket just goes on and on," said Waugh, who recommended that the final of an eventual competition, whose format is still to be decided, be played at Lord's.

"There is a ranking system, but there isn't a situation where a team can hold a trophy aloft. Something needs to be done to lift the profile of Test cricket. Most players still see it as the pinnacle of the game, and why not reward that every couple of years with a World Test Championship?

"I think all the players would embrace it, and the chance to win a world title at Lord's would be something the players would really aim for."

Dravid, the only current international player on the panel on the panel agreed, adding: "If there were something to play for, it would be a big motivation for players. It means a Test team can aspire to win a title every two years."

While the Ashes series engenders huge interest among cricket lovers, the longest form of the game has been hit hard by the success of Twenty20 cricket.

With attendances around the world falling sharply, the Committee has also called for the introduction of day/night Tests, with a pink ball to be used to ensure that players could continue to wear white clothing, even during the evening sessions.