London:  West Indies will play just a solitary three-day match before their Test series in England starts with back-to-back clashes in May, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced when they confirmed the tourist match schedules for the 2007 season.

During their recent 5-0 Ashes campaign drubbing in Australia, England were severely criticised for playing just seven days' cricket before the Test series got underway.

But with the international programme increasingly congested, all of the world's leading sides are having to cope with playing far fewer matches on tour outside of the major fixtures than in years gone by.
 

Since 2000, England have routinely played seven Tests in a home season, having previously made do with a usual maximum of six.

The West Indies'situation for this tour of England is complicated by the fact that there are only two weeks between the end of the Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean and their tour opener, against Somerset, on May 12.

The first match of a four Test series is due to start on May 17 at Lord's with the second encounter of the series at Headingley following fast on May 25 at Headingley.
 

After those games, the West Indies do have a three-day match against an as yet unnamed opponent.

India, who will be touring later in the English season, will have more practice before their three-Test series starts at Lord's on July 17.

They have two first-class matches, against Sussex and England A while, after the first two Tests, they play Sri Lanka A in a three-day game in Leicester.