THE West Indies will start their summer tour of England with a four-day game against Worcestershire at New Road.

But the game is being played at the end of May as Zimbabwe play England in two Test matches before the West Indies arrive for a one-day tournament and five-match Test series.

The County's first game will be on Saturday, April 15, at North-amptonshire in the Benson and Hedges Cup, with the first game at New Road the following day against Glamorgan in the same competition.

Their first-class season also starts with a home fixture against Glamorgan in late April.

Worcestershire will play all but one of their CGU National League home games on a Sunday.

The one remaining match on Wednesday, June 14, will be under floodlights against Gloucestershire. They will also be involved in three other day-night matches away from New Road.

"We hope members and supporters will welcome the move back to Sunday as games were played across the week last season and it lead to confusion," said Worcestershire secretary Mike Vockins.

"It's also great to retain the traditional opening match of the tourist's programme and overall it's a well balanced fixture list."

Worcestershire, however, do face Gloucestershire in all four competitions.

Fixtures

April 25: Northamptonshire BHC Away; 16 Glamorgan BHC Home; 18 Gloucestershire BHC Home; 21 Somerset BHC Away; 24: Warwickshire BHC Away; 26,27,28,29; Glamorgan PPP Home; 30: Yorkshire CGU Home.

May 2,3,4: Cambridge University Friendly Away; 7: Yorkshire CGU Away; 9: Benson & Hedges Quarter Finals BHC; 11,12,13,14: Middlesex PPP Home; 17 Sussex (Floodlights) CGU Away; 18,19,20,21: Sussex PPP Away; 24,25,26,27: Gloucestershire PPP Away; 27: Benson & Hedges Semi Finals BHC; 28: Benson & Hedges Semi Finals BHC; 28: Northamptonshire CGU Home; 31, June 1,2,3: West Indies VCS Home.

June 7,8,9,10: Nottinghamshire PPP Away; 19: Benson & Hedges Final BHC: 11: Lancashire CGU Away; 14: Gloucestershire (Floodlights) CGU Home; 15,16,17,18: Sussex PPP Home; 21: Gloucestershire (3rd Round) NWT Home; 24: Somerset CGU Away; 26: New Zealand A Home; 28,29,30 July 1: Glamorgan PPP Away.

July 2: Leicestershire CGU Home; 5: Nat West Trophy (4th round) NWT Away; 7,8,9,10: Middlesex PPP Away; 12,13,14,15 Nottinghamshire PPP Home; 16: Gloucestershire CGU Away; 19,20,21,11 Essex PPP Away: 25: NatWest Quarter Finals NWT; 26: NatWest Quarter Finals NWT; 28,29,30,31: Gloucestershire PPP Home.

August 2: Northamptonshire (Floodlights) CGU Away; 4,5,6,7: Northamptonshire PPP Away; 9,10,11,12: Essex PPP Home; 12: NatWest Semi Final NWT; 13: NatWest Semi Final NWT; 13: Sussex CGU Home; 20: Somerset CGU Home; 22,23,24,25: Warwickshire PPP Home; 26: NatWest Final NWT; 27: Kent CGU Away; 30,13,Sept 1,2: Warwickshire PPP Away.

SEPTEMBER 3: Lancs CGU Home; 8: Leicestershire (Floodlights) CGU Away; 13,14,15,16: Northants PPP Home; 17: Kent CGU Home.