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The famous Sydney Cricket Ground could lose the final Test of the next Ashes series to the host venue of the 2000 Olympics.

Cricket New South Wales is considering breaking with tradition and moving the last match of the 2010/11 series to the ANZ Stadium, which has a capacity of 80,000.

Test cricket has been played at the SCG since 1882 but Cricket NSW's current deal with the SCG Trust expires in September 2010 and Cricket NSW boss Dave Gilbert said: “ANZ is focused on getting a major cricket match to its venue.

“I know Test cricket will be a difficult one to do at this stage – and you have to weigh up tradition and history and the drama at the SCG.

“When I was a kid growing up at the SCG, rugby league Test matches and union Test matches were only ever at the SCG, but not any more.

“If you’re a 15-year-old kid, you’ve only ever known big sporting events to be played at ANZ Stadium. That’s not meant to be an inflammatory comment – it’s a fact.

“If you take the heat and emotion out of it, as CEO of Cricket NSW, I have to do what is best for cricket to generate revenue to keep this game going, and this is what this process is about.

“This is what our negotiations will be about over the next few months. It has to be recognised SCG and ANZ Stadium run a ground and we run a sport. We need each other and it’s about working out the best deal moving forward.”

Asked if Ashes tradition would prevent a move away from the SCG, Gilbert added: “I can’t make that guarantee because negotiations haven’t begun and because they haven’t it’s not appropriate for me to make that comment.

“Logically you’d say yes but a lot depends on the manner in which negotiations are undertaken.”

Meanwhile, Lancashire have submitted plans to redevelop Old Trafford in a bid to stage an Ashes Test on Australia’s next tour in 2013.

Old Trafford was not awarded a Test match during this summer’s series.

But Lancashire chief executive Jim Cumbes said: “The significant investment will ensure Old Trafford regains its place on the Test match circuit.”