New Zealand axe Sri Lanka Test

New Zealand Cricket has cut a Test from Sri Lanka's tour later this year and replaced it with two Twenty20 internationals.

Martin Snedden, the NZC chief executive, said that the decision was made because of concerns over the weather. "It would have meant starting the first Test on November 29 and with our weather we were asking for trouble."

He added that preparations for the World Cup was also a factor. "The focus is clearly on the World Cup and there is a strong view among us that playing the Twenty20 game helps develop certain aspects of the one-day game."

It is likely that the first Test will now start on December 7 and the second the following week. The first Twenty20 game will be held on December 22 and the second on Boxing Day. The tour will conclude with five ODIs.

New Zealand are virtually out of the Test circuit, with only these two matches scheduled between now and November 2007 when South Africa tour the country. They have no matches of any kind arranged until the Champions Trophy in October.