Cricket Australia weighs up shorter formats for 2013 series against Lanka, Windies

Melbourne, Mar 23(ANI): Cricket Australia (CA) is gathering feedback from the cricket administrators of all six Australian states on whether to host as many Twenty20 internationals as one-dayers during the series against Sri Lanka and the West Indies in 2013.

CA's acting general manager of cricket operations, Geoff Allardice, will discuss the issue with state cricket chief executives in Melbourne, and make a proposal about the structure of the limited-overs series to cricket board directors at next month's meeting.

Though five ODIs against each team and three Twenty20s have been originally planned, a CA spokesperson indicated the composition of the limited-overs format could change, taking into account fans and state associations preferences.

State chief executives and CA directors have previously backed an even split between the two formats - with six ODIs and six Twenty20s each summer - and the ICC recently relaxed its guidelines restricting the number of Twenty20s each nation can play each year.

CA's public affairs general manager Peter Young said the limited-overs segment was still being discussed.

"I think Geoff has still got an open mind and there is a whole series of variables he has to work through," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying.

The variables are bound to include the financial implications of any change, as CA's media rights and sponsorship deals expire after the 2012-13 season. (ANI)