The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced a major overhaul of domestic cricket starting in 2010.

A new English Premier League (EPL) will be introduced under the new plans, involving all 18 counties.

The EPL will be staged during June, while a separate Twenty20 League will also come into effect from 2010, replacing the Pro-40 League on Friday and Saturday nights during July and August. It will act as the qualifying tournament for the Twenty20 Champions League, unveiled last month by the ECB, which will be held in association with governing boards from India, South Africa and Australia.

The ECB agreed that the new restructured calendar will continue to feature a 50-over competition and 16 Liverpool Victoria County Championship fixtures.

Speaking about the changes, Surrey chairman Dave Stewart said: "These are extremely exciting and satisfying proposals for the future of domestic cricket in England and Wales."

Twenty20 cricket has dominated the game in recent months thanks to the success of the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year and the huge multi-million pound deal offered by Sir Allen Stanford that will see England play a winner-takes-all Twenty20 in the Caribbean next Spring.

It follows a recent leaked proposal from the Surrey chairman David Stewart and Keith Bradshaw, chief executive of the MCC, to introduce a radical nine-team competition.