Early End to West Indies Tour Could Free England Players for Ipl

The ECB has announced that England's tour to West Indies next spring will have an early finish, leaving sufficient space for centrally contracted players to compete in the second Indian Premier League. The itinerary for the tour finishes on April 4, some six days before the 2008 IPL is due to start. It makes for a stark contrast with England's last tour to the region in 2004, which ran on through to May 5.

It is widely known that several of England's players are keen to take part in the IPL, and recent stories have suggested that Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff have both been lined up for substantial contracts in the competition next season. Ravi Bopara and Saj Mahmood have both spoken of being approached by Indian franchises as well, though the latter is unlikely to be affected by the ECB's announcement today.

With the World Twenty20 being staged in England next summer, the ECB could rightly point out that the IPL would provide a useful opportunity for centrally contracted players to find form through match practice. The schedule for the tour also includes a Twenty20 international against West Indies, at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad on March 15.

England will begin their preparations for the tour in Barbados, where they will play two three-day practice matches, before Tests in Jamaica, Antigua, Barbados and Trinidad. Following the Twenty20 international, England will play a five-match one-day international series finishing with a day-night international in St Lucia.