The deputy chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board believes the Rose Bowl will grace Test cricket.

Former Surrey chairman Mike Soper yesterday confirmed that the ECB will reveal whether the Rose Bowl has been successful in its latest application for Test status within the next three weeks.

A decision on whether the Rose Bowl is awarded Category A accreditation has to be made by December 2 following an inspection by a four-man delegation on October 9.

But Soper reckons a decision will be made before the start of the Ashes,which begins on November 23, and which several ECB officials will be attending.

He said: "It's unfair on Rod to keep him hanging on, especially as a lot of people will have made their mind up by then if they haven't already."

More importantly, Soper believes the Rose Bowl will be successful in its application and be awarded a Test match in 2010.

After watching Bransgrove, managing director Glenn Delve and commercial director Stuart Robertson unveil their plans for the £35m development of the 150-acre Rose Bowl site at Lord's yesterday, Soper said: "I think it's a fabulous ground and always have done.

"I go to all the Test and county grounds and can't see what criteria it doesn't fulfil.

"There have been serious traffic problems, that's been well documented, but Rod's the sort of guy who sorts it out.

"I was there for the last game between England and Pakistan in September and the ground cleared very quickly."

After yesterday's unveiling of the plans to relieve the Rose Bowl of traffic congestion, Robertson revealed how much the four-day wickets had improved in the last year.

They were rated the ninth best in the country last season, having finished bottom of the table in 18th in 2005.

Robertson explained: "It's very important that people realise the ratings for the four-day pitches have enjoyed the single highest single rise by any county.

"They are now rated higher than two other Test grounds and are 0.02 pts off another Test ground."

Headingley and Durham's Riverside are thought to be the Test grounds below the Rose Bowl in the pitch rankings, which are yet to be officially unveiled by the ECB.

But the markings have helped persuade Soper that there is room for a third Test ground in the south to go with Lord's and Surrey's own Brit Oval.

Full story plus in-depth look at the Rose Bowl's £35m redevelopment plans and the local reaction to the news in today's Daily Echo.