Sydney, Feb 2: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is planning to raise the prize money for the top four Test cricket teams as part of plans to promote the inaugural Test Championship in 2017. The top-ranked team on April 1 presently receives 175,000 dollars, but that will increase to a minimum of 450,000 dollars by 2013, 475,000 dollars by 2014 and 500,000 dollars by 2015 in a total pool of 3.8 million dollars.

The ICC has said there will be another increase in 2016. A two-day board meeting of the ICC, which ended on Wednesday, also discussed ways to draw more fans toward Test cricket. “There were some board members who were not so sure about simply increasing the prize money,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Haroon Lorgat Chief Executive, ICC, as saying. Lorgat said ways to provide proper environment for Test cricket were also discussed during the meeting. “We talked about the pitch being suitable to ensure a fair contest between bat and ball, and we talked about stadium facilities being conducive to get in people or families out there for the full five days,” he added.