The ICC has announced that the inaugural Test Championship will be delayed until at least 2017.

The competition would see the top four nations in the ICC Test rankings compete in a straight knockout format.

England had been expected to be the first hosts of the event, originally scheduled for 2013, but the idea has been postponed due to a lack of "support and consent" from the ICC's broadcast partner.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat confessed his disappointment at the decision while the MCC described it as "a setback to Test cricket".

It had been hoped that the introduction of such a tournament would reignite public interest in the five-day game, which has decreased since the establishment of Twenty20 cricket.

Instead the ICC Champions Trophy, a secondary 50-over competition designed to raise money for the associate nations, will continue to take place.