NEW DELHI, Dec 19: England have agreed to extend their upcoming One-day International series against India from five matches to six, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said Tuesday.

“They have agreed in principle. We are looking at logistics, whether to play immediately after they arrive, or after the Bombay (final ) game,” BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said.

The Indian board had said that if England refused to squeeze in an additional one-dayer during the series between January 22-February 3 they would respond by pulling out of an earlier commitment to play four Tests in England later this year and instead only agree to three matches.

As part of the agreement, the Indian board also wants the England and Wales Cricket Board to agree to play five Tests when their team next tours India next in 2006.

Shah said that matter was still being discussed. He said he was in constant touch with ECB chief executive Tim Lamb and all the details would be sorted out soon.

“I think within 3-4 days, we should know,” he said.

England are currently playing a three-Test series against India and return there after a Christmas break for the one-dayers.

Shah argued the BCCI had agreed to play four Tests in England before the International Cricket Council introduced a 10-year programme for Test matches.

“Everything now is based on a reciprocal approach,” he said, adding India always favoured three Tests and five one-dayers in games while the ECB wanted four and seven respectively.

The ICC’s 10-year Test programme was approved in February, ensuring regular home-and-away series between all Test countries every five years.

Details, however, like the number of matches to be played, are left to the competing countries.—Reuters