West Indies will play Australia in four Tests and seven one-day internationals in the Caribbean next year, in a tour that will follow hot on the heels of the World Cup. The Australians will arrive in the Caribbean barely a week after the World Cup final on March 23, with their first match against a Guyanese Cricket Board President's XI beginning on 5 April.

The four Tests will take place between April 10 and May 13, and are scheduled for Guyana, Trinidad, Barbados and Antigua. The one-day series will be held in Jamaica and Trinidad, and the smaller venues of St Lucia and Grenada.

The last time the two teams met in the Caribbean, Australia were held to a 2-2 draw in a thrilling series, in which Brian Lara single-handedly kept his team in contention with scores of 213, 153 not out and 100. West Indian fortunes have plummeted since, however, and they were handed a 5-0 drubbing when they toured Australia two winters later.

The current form of the two sides could not be more different. West Indies, missing Lara due to suspected hepatitis, were thrashed by an innings in the opening Test of their tour to India, while Australia waltzed to a two-day victory over Pakistan in Sharjah, dismissing an understrength side for totals of 59 and 53.

April 5-7	Guyanese President's XI	Georgetown, Guyana
April 10-14	First Test	Georgetown, Guyana
April 18-22	Second Test	Port of Spain, Trinidad
April 25-27	University of WI XI	Cave Hill
May 1-5	Third Test	Bridgetown, Barbados
May 9-13	Fourth Test	St John's, Antigua
May 17	First ODI	Kingston, Jamaica
May 18	Second ODI	Kingston, Jamaica
May 21	Third ODI	Castries
May 24	Fourth ODI	Port of Spain, Trinidad
May 25	Fifth ODI	Port of Spain, Trinidad
May 30	Sixth ODI	St George's
June 1	Seventh ODI	St George's

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