Change in bid system to benefit Warks

Warwickshire could benefit from a change in the procedure by which the ECB allocates major matches.

The county missed out when the lucrative Ashes Tests for 2013 and India Tests for 2014 were allocated but retain hope of winning the battle to host at least one of the games recently resubmitted for tender by the ECB.

Durham were originally awarded the rights to host a T20 against India in 2014 and an ODI against Australia in 2015 but handed them back to the ECB, questioning how lucrative the fixtures would be, coming so close to their other international matches - ODIs against Sri Lanka in 2014 and New Zealand in 2015.

That new tendering process has now ended and the ECB is expected to make a quick decision over the reallocation.

The ECB no longer allocates matches to the highest bidder but instead offers them to counties at a fixed price while taking account of a raft of other criteria. On this occasion, the ECB will give extra weighting to a ground's previous record of ticket sales and its capacity. It will also take into account the number of international games in a 50-mile vicinity and the anticipated ticket price of those games.

While several of the top English grounds have bid for the two games, Edgbaston's large capacity - only Lord's can accommodate more spectators - and the absence of an India Test in 2014 may prove crucial. The Oval is also understood to have made a persuasive case for one or both of the games, with Bristol having also submitted a bid.

Warwickshire announced losses of over £2m for 2012 as a result of poor weather and deprecation costs on their redeveloped stadium.