GLAMORGAN’S Sophia Gardens is a contender to become the new administrative base of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Cardiff is contending with Colombo and Singapore for the right to replace Dubai.

That information was revealed in a leaked working paper of the ICC’s financial and commercial affairs committee, which will be discussed at a board meeting next Wedneday (Jan 29).

It is understood that there is no chance of the ICC – formerly based at Lords until 2005 – leaving the jurisdiction of the United Arab Emirates.

However, the working paper explains, according to the Guardian newspaper, that “Under UAE laws it is not necessary for the management to be located in the same jurisdiction.

"This facilitates the possible relocation of ICC management from Dubai to any potentially more favourable location where local talent is also available. The F&CA is currently in the final stages of evaluating these options, including reviewing the comparative advantages and disadvantages of Singapore, Colombo, Cardiff and Dubai as the administrative home of the ICC, and will report back to the ICC executive board on this matter shortly."

Former England and Wales cricket board president David Morgan, who is from Newport, headed a six-man panel that previously considered a return to Lords in 2009.

However, Cardiff is more cost-effective than Lords’s. It has previously received financial support from the Welsh government, a chief reason why it was one of three venues picked as hosts of the ICC Champions Trophy last summer. It is understood the Welsh government would be supportive of Cardiff being selected as a worldwide administrative base.