Sri Lanka to tour next summer

Tough start to the Ashes summer

Last updated: 8th July 2008

muttiah muralitharan

Sri Lanka star Muttiah Muralitharan

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England will play two Tests and three One Day Internationals against Sri Lanka next summer, the ECB has announced.

Sri Lanka will replace Zimbabwe as early-summer tourists after the ECB severed bilateral ties with Zimbabwe Cricket two weeks ago.

The ECB have since been looking for replacements to play the two May Tests at Lord's and the Riverside, with Sri Lanka agreeing to step in as England build up for the Ashes later in the summer.

As well as the five international matches, the tourists will play a match against England Lions at Derby.

They will arrive in England in April and play tour matches against Leicestershire and Essex before the Tests, then face Somerset before the one-day series.

ECB chief executive David Collier said: "We are delighted that Sri Lanka will tour in the early part of next summer.

"The strong and close relationship which we built up during our recent winter tours to Sri Lanka allowed the ECB, at short notice, to be able to approach Sri Lanka and confirm their availability for the international matches in the early part of next summer."

Full itinerary:

April 21-23: v Leicestershire (Leicester)
April 25-27: v Essex (Chelmsford)
April 30-May 3: v England Lions (Derby)
May 7-11: First npower Test match (Lord's)
May 15-19: Second npower Test match (Chester-le-Street)
May 21: v Somerset (Taunton)
May 24: First NatWest Series ODI (Bristol)
May 27: Second NatWest ODI (Edgbaston)
May 30: Third NatWest Series ODI (Headingley)