The departing boss of Warwickshire County Cricket Club has outlined a host of radical changes to save the game for future generations.

Colin Povey, who stands down from Edgbaston at the end of the year, said that, with dwindling attendances for many Test matches and county clubs "financially stressed", major change was needed in the sport.

He is calling for just six Test grounds in the UK, which feed more back into the game, and a third division for the poorest-performing counties.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Post, he said: "Some really seismic changes have to happen over the next three to five years if the game is going to get to grips with what it needs to do.

"At the moment, far too many domestic counties are financially stressed on a regular basis.

"They are struggling to survive in the way the game is demanding they survive. It leads to short-term solutions rather than decisions made for the best interests of the game long-term.

"There's quite a lot in the cricketing landscape that needs to be resolved.

"The future of Test match cricket is something that needs serious thought. Realistically, the big Test matches are attractive but they are getting fewer and farther between. Even South Africa, who are a brilliant side, aren't a big draw - and what if India step away from Test match cricket?"

Unsurprisingly, Mr Povey believes Edgbaston should be one of the six Test match venues.

He said the redeveloped stadium was "in a good place" because it could make a more compelling case to host Test matches than others in the Midland region - namely Trent Bridge in Nottinghamshire - and Glamorgan, South Wales.

However, he believes the profits from major cricket matches should be better shared among counties, with some in regular financial dire straits.

He said: "If I was king for the day, I would have fewer international grounds - I would say no more than six - but I would make the venues share the proceeds differently.

"They have to be well paid but the rest of the country has to be well looked after. It can't carry on being us and them.

"I would also have fewer counties or a third division so we had a fixture programme that worked better.

"That would give the capacity for a really world class Twenty20 programme which we don't have now.

"You can't ignore that you have counties like Surrey turning over £20 million and getting £2 million from the ECB every year, then you have counties like Northampton bringing in £2.5 million and £2 million a year from the ECB. You can't continue to treat these two entities as the same".

Payment by results, a player draft or allocating centrally contracted England players might be ideas worth visiting, according to Mr Povey.

He added: "We have more capacity than Nottinghamshire and we can drive a lot more commercial value to the game.

"We offer a far better fan experience than Notts do. Twenty20 Finals day would be a completely different experience at Trent Bridge. Here is far better for the game. Glamorgan is too small, full stop.

"We are in a good place. We have a compelling offer for the good of cricket."

Mr Povey will retire at the end of the year, bringing an end to a tenure which has seen fundamental change at the club.

Former Rugby World Cup boss Neil Snowball will replace him in the role. Mr Povey believes he is going to have to oversee major changes.

"I think there will be substantial changes to the game over the life of my successor," he said.

"Either the best players will just play Big Bang and IPL, and not play county cricket, or England players will never be county players again."

He added: "We need to have the best playing the best. At the start of the season, do the clubs that have come 16th, 17th or 18th in the championship think they have a chance to get promoted? I don't think they do any more.

"If you put Leicestershire in a Championship game with Yorkshire, it would be over in two-and-a-half days. It has to be competitive.

"I think having a third division would be more sensible. It would be better for the fans and the players."

Looking back over his reign, Mr Povey said the high point was the completion of the £32 million expansion of Edgbaston.

He said: "If we hadn't rebuilt it, we would have been in serious trouble, without international cricket supporting Warwickshire County Cricket Club."

In terms of the low point, he pointed to issues clearing a row of houses in Pershore Road, resulting in having to evict squatters.

"It wasn't the wrong thing to do but I was pretty depressed about it," he said.