West Indies to face England in Barbados, Antigua and Grenada

|| AFP ||

West Indies will play England in Barbados, Antigua and Grenada next year, officials announced Monday.

A tour split between Twenty20 and Test cricket could also see the visitors joined by travelling fans provided they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

A five-match T20 series will take place at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, from January 22-30.

West Indies will head to India for a white-ball tour of their own in February before hosting England in a three-Test campaign in March.

In the red-ball matches, the teams will compete for the Richards-Botham Trophy, named after cricket greats and former Somerset team-mates Vivian Richards (West Indies) and Ian Botham (England). 

It replaces the Wisden Trophy, which was retired following England's series win last year.

The Tests will take place in Antigua -- outstanding batsman Richards' home island -- Barbados and Grenada.

England tours of the Caribbean have always been lucrative for the hosts and next year's trip is set to be well attended by visiting supporters who have been unable to travel during the pandemic and won't be able to attend he 2021/22 Ashes in Australia. 

Proof of completed vaccination, however, will be an entry requirement.

The Twenty20 series is the longest to date between West Indies and England, who begin their T20 World Cup campaign against each other in Dubai later this month.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) chief executive Johnny Grave said: "A West Indies vs England home Test Series is the biggest sporting and sports tourism event in the Caribbean. Dating back to 1930 when the first England team visited, these fixtures are steeped in history and a new chapter in this great rivalry will be written, this time with the prize of the new Richards-Botham Trophy.

"Celebrating these two heroes of cricket and lifelong friends with the new trophy, staging world-class cricket and hosting thousands of England fans will be a welcome boost for cricket and for the whole region."

The English administrator added: "We are all really looking forward to welcoming fully vaccinated England fans who can not only enjoy some winter sun and Caribbean hospitality but also some world-class cricket with both these England tours."

England 2022 tour of the West Indies:

Jan 22: 1st T20I, Barbados

Jan 23: 2nd T20I, Barbados

Jan 26: 3rd T20I, Barbados

Jan 29: 4th T20I, Barbados

Jan 30: 5th T20I, Barbados

Mar 1-4: Warm-up, Antigua

Mar 8-12: 1st Test Antigua

Mar 16-20: 2nd Test, Barbados

Mar 24-28: 3rd Test, Grenada