Delayed start to West Indies tour

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced today that the opening fixture of the West Indies' Tour this summer, the game versus Worcestershire CCC at New Road, has been re-scheduled. Originally a four-day game-day game planned for Wednesday 31 May - Saturday 3 June, it will now be a three-day fixture played from Friday 2nd - Sunday 4th June.

This change has been forced due to late amendments to the scheduling of the West Indies v Pakistan Tour programme as a result of the Asia v Rest of the World fixture, organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to celebrate Cricket Week, on 8th April in Dhaka.

The final Test Match between West Indies and Pakistan is now not scheduled to finish until Monday 29 May. The West Indies team arrives in the UK on Wednesday 31 May, and the ECB has agreed to the West Indies Cricket Board's wish to start its competitive tour programme on Friday 2 June.

Worcestershire CCC Secretary, Mike Vockins said: "We are delighted that we shall still play the West Indies, and that the fixture will maintain the tradition of the opening first-class match of the tour being played at Worcestershire. But the re-arrangement, though understandable and apparently unavoidable, is very frustrating, particularly as fixtures were agreed last October and our fixture lists have long been printed and circulated.

"The attractiveness of the West Indies team and the undoubted appeal of the opening Tourist match will be a positive aid in our efforts to accommodate everyone in three days rather than four. We shall certainly work hard to achieve this but, nevertheless, almost certainly we shall suffer a significant loss of income, and so we may well raise the question of compensation with ICC."

Worcestershire has also asked ECB to discuss with ICC the issue of late arrangement of international tours and games, especially when they conflict with previously arranged and agreed tour programmes. "It is a matter which needs serious and urgent attention" Vockins said, "otherwise last-minute changes to previously agreed fixture programmes are going to become more common and more disruptive."

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For further ECB information, please contact Mark Hodgson in Corporate Affairs: Tel: 020 7432 1251. Fax: 020 7289 5619.

For enquiries to Worcestershire CCC, call Mike Vockins on 01905 748474