The season ahead

The schedule for the upcoming season has been announced. It consists of lots of one-dayers (a three match series against Australia, a four match series against Sri Lanka and five matches against the West Indies) and not much else. The West Indies have kindly agreed to play a three match series to partially compensate for the missing test matches against Zimbabwe, but that is still not a lot for those of us who love the longer form of the game.

The first test against the Windies will be played at Eden Park on the 50th anniversary of New Zealand's very first test match victory. Appropriately enough it was the West Indies we played to achieve that win way back in 1955/6.

The full schedule is:

* Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-day series against Australia

December 3 - first one-day international (ODI) at Eden Park, Auckland
Dec 7 - second ODI at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Dec 10 - third ODI at Jade Stadium, Christchurch

* One-day internationals against Sri Lanka

Dec 31 - first ODI at Events Centre, Queenstown
January 3 - second ODI at Jade Stadium, Christchurch
Jan 6 - third ODI at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Jan 8 - fourth ODI at McLean Park, Napier

* West Indies tour

Feb 16 - Twenty20 international at Eden Park, Auckland
Feb 18 - first ODI at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Feb 22 - second ODI at Queenstown Events Centre, Queenstown
Feb 25 - third ODI at Jade Stadium, Christchurch
March 1 - fourth ODI at McLean Park, Napier
Mar 4 - fifth ODI at Eden Park, Auckland
Mar 9-13 - first test at Eden Park, Auckland
March 17-21 - second test at Basin Reserve, Wellington
Mar 25-29 - third test at McLean Park, Napier