The key findings were presented to the International Cricket Council's cricket committee earlier this month in Dubai, where both groups reaffirmed their commitment to preserving all three forms. Interestingly, the survey shows the maligned 50-over game is alive and kicking; despite reports of public fatigue it remains the most popular format with 36 per cent of fans across the three countries. But in India, Twenty20 internationals rule, with 58 per cent of the respondents declaring these as their favourite compared with 31 per cent for ODIs, 7 per cent for Tests and 4 per cent for the billion-dollar Indian Premier League. Overall, 13 per cent said they preferred Tests to the limited-overs contests.

In India, 58 per cent of respondents said the emergence of Twenty20 had reduced their interest in Test cricket, while 23 per cent of South Africans and 13 per cent of New Zealanders felt the same. But almost two-thirds of Indians and three-quarters of South Africans said Twenty20 might spark their interest in the longer formats. The research, which is expected to be presented to chief executives of the Test-playing nations at their next meeting, should sound alarm bells with administrators who have already been accused of devaluing Test cricket by scheduling too many meaningless limited-overs matches. The crowded calendar, coupled with the emergence of new and lucrative opportunities in Twenty20 leagues, persuaded all-rounders Andrew Flintoff and Jacob Oram to retire from Test cricket, meaning that Test cricket can no longer be assured of showcasing the best players. The study also challenges the assumption that slow over-rates and dull pitches are most instrumental in keeping people away from Tests. Instead, it suggests ticket prices and timeslots are key factors. The study also reaffirms the power of television - 89 per cent of people surveyed watch cricket live on TV. Sachin Tendulkar last October broke the world runscoring record in a Test against Australia in Mohali in front of only a few thousand people at the ground.

''We just can't sit back and let that happen,'' said Lewis. ''Test matches need loving care and attention, and they need to be played when people can watch. Can people afford to support all the brands of cricket? That's a really big question, I think. Australia and England don't feel the pinch so much in Test-match cricket but other countries do.'' He believes it is inevitable that Tests will be staged under lights and the MCC was moving closer to a trial with a pink ball. ''It's bound to happen,'' he said. ''We have a new agreement with Abu Dhabi - this is, MCC - to play cricket there, to do some preseason work when it's freezing cold [in England] and that is the sort of place where we can experiment with balls.''

The World Cricket Committee comprises figures such as Steve Waugh, Rahul Dravid, Geoff Boycott and Tony Dodemaide. The sample for the study was small - about 500 in each country - but market research company TNS Sport insisted this was big enough for meaningful conclusions. Lewis expressed alarm about the prevalence of limited-overs cricket in India, which generates two-thirds of world cricket revenue. ''It did shock me because having played Test cricket in India you know how feverish the whole business is,'' he said. The MCC is the custodian of the laws of cricket and Lewis said while it had moral authority it had no actual power. He vowed to keep lobbying the ICC until changes were made to preserve the most precious form of cricket.