England to return to Sir Viv Richard stadium in 2015

LONDON: England on Monday released details of their 2015 tour of the West Indies, including a first match at Antigua´s Sir Vivian Richards Stadium since their abandoned game there in 2009.

In the second Test match at the venue five years ago, the West Indies managed to bowl only 10 balls before the game was called off after the outfield was deemed unsafe due to excess sand.

The venue was subsequently banned from hosting international cricket for 12 months, but it staged a Test match against New Zealand last year and three one-day games against England earlier this year.

It will now host the first of England´s three Tests against the West Indies on April 13, which will be followed by matches in Grenada and Barbados. "We thank the West Indies Cricket Board for their assistance with the organisation of the tour and we know the venues will prove extremely popular with the thousands of cricket lovers who follow England to the Caribbean," said Paul Downton, managing director of the England cricket team. "It will also be exciting for many to visit the new venue of Grenada for the first time."

Itinerary for England´s 2015 tour of the West

April 6-7 Warm-up match St Kitts
April 8-9 Warm-up match St Kitts
April 13-17 First Test Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua
April 21-25 Second Test Grenada National Stadium, Grenada
May 1-5 Third Test Kensington Oval, Barbados. (AFP)