Lord's could host neutral Test matches in future if there is an appetite for such a venture within the international community.

Marylebone Cricket Club, Lord's owners, would consider the prospect of two overseas teams competing in international cricket's traditional form of the game during an English summer.

Such an idea opens up the prospect of Australia taking on South Africa or India facing fierce rivals Pakistan at the world's most famous cricket ground.

"From a MCC point of view we are very keen to host big matches at Lord's, and we are very open to offers and looking further afield," said MCC chief executive Keith Bradshaw.

"We would have to work with international governing bodies - as we do with the England and Wales Cricket Board - because ultimately it would be up to them."

Lord's currently hosts two Test matches per international domestic season but that is yet to be rubber-stamped beyond 2009.

This summer and the Ashes summer 12 months away - which also includes the Twenty20 World Cup - have crammed fixture schedules, so the earliest potential match would be unlikely to happen before 2010.

However, New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has already poured scorn on the proposal as a visiting international captain.

"I know Australia and Pakistan played against each other in Sharjah because of security reasons and I suppose if Lord's is a venue switch because of that then people would jump at it," he said.

"For any other reason it would be difficult because people love playing in front of their home fans and having home advantage."

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