A deal was close to being struck on Monday that would see England play one of their 2019 World Cup group matches at the London Stadium.

The England & Wales Cricket Board was in advanced negotiations to stage two of the tournament’s highest-profile fixtures in front of what would be record crowds for cricket in the UK.

One of those games at the 60,000-seater London 2012 centrepiece would be an England group match – with their clash against Australia looking like the prime candidate.

The second would be one of the other 44 group fixtures most likely to sell out, such as India v Pakistan.

Confirming the ECB was keen to stage games at the stadium, chief executive Tom Harrison said on Monday: “It would be an amazing statement to have 55,000 to 60,000 people in a ground in the UK watching World Cup cricket.”