BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – West Indies will visit New Zealand for two Tests and five One-Day Internationals at year-end, Cricket New Zealand confirmed Friday.

The tour, which bowls off on December 11 and includes two Twenty20 Internationals, will see the regional side play two Tests prior to Christmas Day before starting their ODI campaign on Old Year’s Day.

Peter Dwan, NZC’s commercial manager, said the tours by the West Indies and India, who arrive in New Zealand for a similar series in March, would be welcomed.

“Both West Indies and India are steeped in cricket history, and have consistently provided entertainment for supporters and a challenge for players,” Dwan said. “The West Indies are an eye-catching and fiercely competitive team.”

West Indies will meet the Black Caps in the first Test at Carisbrook in Dunedin December 11-15 before travelling to Napier for the second Test December 19-23 at McLean Park.

Following T20Is at Eden Park and Seddon Park on Boxing Day and December 28 respectively, the ODI series will get going at Queenstown Events Centre in Queenstown.

Matches will follow on January 3 at the AMI Stadium in Christchurch; January 7 at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington; January 10 at Eden Park in Auckland and January 13 at McLean Park.

The tourists will play one warm-up match prior to the Test series, a three-day encounter against Auckland.

The New Zealand tour will be a precursor to the Windies’ Home Series against England which bowls off in January, 2009.

Itinerary
December 5-7, v Auckland, Auckland

December 11-15, first Test v New Zealand, Dunedin

December 19-23, second Test v New Zealand, Napier

December 26, first Twenty20 international, Auckland

December 28, second Twenty20 International, Hamilton

December 31, first limited-overs international, Queenstown

January 3, second limited-overs international, Christchurch

January 7, third limited-overs international, Wellington

January 10, four limited-overs international, Auckland

January 13, fifth limited-overs international, Napier.