ECB chairman Giles Clarke said that counties believed these measures would help players to prepare for international cricket.

'Coaches reported through their county votes that the leading team in one-day cricket, South Africa, do not mirror 50 overs at the domestic level and that, provided that powerplays and fielding restrictions were the same as the international format, the skills required were very similar,' Clarke maintained.

At the international level, there has been a feeling in recent times that one-day internationals are failing to attract crowd as they have become predictable. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has commercial and broadcasting commitments in place for 50-over cricket up to the 2015 World Cup.

The ECB said Thursday that the ICC will be reviewing the future of 50-over cricket after the next World Cup in 2011, but a spokesman for the world governing body said that this review will relate to playing conditions rather than the structure of One-day cricket.

Counties have struggled to sell 50-over cricket to their supporters and the move was a welcome boost in difficult economic times.

Mark Tagg, the Northamptonshire chief executive, said: 'There are straightforward commercial and financial reasons why we prefer 40 overs to 50, because people would much rather watch the shorter game. They prefer to spend the morning at home, then come to the cricket after lunch. That's the modern way and we have to fit in with that.'

The 40-over competition, to be played largely on Sundays, is due to include 21 teams in three groups, playing 12 games each throughout the season, leading to a semi-final and a final in September.