Schedule revealed for Aussies' first Caribbean Tests in a decade

Australia's long-awaited red-ball return to the Caribbean will take them into uncharted territory with West Indies to face their rivals in a Test in Grenada for the first time.

Pat Cummins' side's initial assignment of the new World Test Championship cycle will get underway straight after the ongoing WTC cycle's final against South Africa in June, with West Indies hosting Australia for Tests for the first time in a decade.

Cricket West Indies confirmed this morning (Australian time) the Frank Worrell Trophy series will kick off at Kensington Oval, Barbados on June 25, 10 days after the 2023-25 WTC is scheduled to be decided at Lord's.

Tests in St George's, Grenada (July 3-7) and Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica (July 12-16) will follow in the first three-Test series between the two sides since the Windies' tour of Australia in 2015-16.

Qantas Tour of the West Indies

 

First Test: June 25-29, Bridgetown, Barbados (midnight AEST)

 

Second Test: July 3-7, St George's, Grenada (midnight AEST)

 

Third Test: July 12-16, Kingston, Jamaica (1am AEST) 

 

First T20I: July 20, Kingston, Jamaica (Jul 21, 9am AEST)

 

Second T20I: July 22, Kingston, Jamaica (Jul 23, 9am AEST)

 

Third T20I: July 25, Basseterre, St Kitts (Jul 26, 8am AEST)

 

Fourth T20I: July 26, Basseterre, St Kitts (Jul 27, 8am AEST)

 

Fifth T20I: July 28, Basseterre, St Kitts (Jul 29, 8am AEST)

The tour, Australia's first to the region since 2015, was originally earmarked to be two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is when the current men's Future Tours Programme was released in 2022.

But with more than two years until the next 50-over World Cup, both boards agreed to do away with the ODIs and expand the two other formats.

Outgoing Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley had previously called for minimum three-Test series, after the last bout between the two sides finished in a 1-1 stalemate as Shamar Joseph's herculean seven-wicket haul inspired the Windies to a thrilling victory in January last year.

The decision to add another two T20 internationals was made with an eye to next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

"Australia and the West Indies share a rich history, and we're delighted the Test series has been expanded to three matches," said Ben Oliver, CA's general manager of national teams.

"The series will start the next World Test Championship cycle and, as we saw last summer, we will have to be at our best to retain the Frank Worrell Trophy.

"The additional T20 matches against a dynamic West Indies team will also provide a great opportunity to progress our preparation for the next T20 World Cup which is now only 12 months away."

Australia have held the Frank Worrell Trophy since 1995 when Steve Waugh's double-century in the fourth Test in Kingston lifted the tourists to an innings victory over Richie Richardson's West Indies, ending a 17-year drought against the generation's world cricket powerhouse.

Such has been Australia's head-to-head dominance since that up until Joseph's feat at the Gabba last year, West Indies had recorded just one win in 30 Tests since the start of the century.

Given the gap between red-ball tours, just four of Australia's current players – Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood – have Test experience in the Caribbean.

The past two tours have featured Tests at two of this year's venues – Sabina Park in 2015 and Kensington Oval in 2012 – but the scene of the second Test will break new ground for Australia's Test side.

The Aussies have played seven ODIs at the Grenada National Stadium, most recently in 2008, while they played tour matches against Windward Islands on the island's old Queen's Park Oval during tours in the 1950s, '60s and '70s.

The first two T20Is that follow the Test series will also be staged in Jamaica before the tour comes to a rapid conclusion at Warner Park, St Kitts where the final three matches will be played across four days.