Sri Lanka agree to tour England next summer

The England and Wales Cricket Board severed bilateral ties with Zimbabwe Cricket two weeks ago on account of the drastic deterioration of life in the country under Robert Mugabe's regime.

The ECB have since been looking for replacements to play the two May Tests at Lord's and the Riverside, with Sri Lanka agreeing to step in as England build up for the Ashes later in the summer.

As well as the two Tests, the tourists will play three one-day internationals and a match against England Lions at Derby.

They will arrive in England in April and warm up with tour matches against Leicestershire and Essex, while they will play Somerset before the one-day series.

England will then begin their bid to reclaim the Ashes against Australia.

ECB chief executive David Collier said: "We are delighted that Sri Lanka will tour in the early part of next summer.

"The strong and close relationship which we built up during our recent winter tours to Sri Lanka allowed the ECB, at short notice, to be able to approach Sri Lanka and confirm their availability for the international matches in the early part of next summer."

India batsman VVS Laxman will join Nottinghamshire in August as a replacement for Adam Voges, the club revealed yesterday.Voges will make his final appearance in the LV County Championship game against Durham beginning on August 12 before returning to Australia. Notts had hoped that David Hussey would return after his international commitments, but he will play no part for the county this season after being instructed to rest by Cricket Australia. They have instead turned to Laxman, Wisden Cricketer of the year in 2002, who will make his Nottinghamshire debut against Sussex at Hove on August 27.

Sri Lanka itinerary

April 21-23: v Leicestershire (Leicester)
April 25-27: v Essex (Chelmsford)
April 30-May 3: v England Lions (Derby)
May 7-11: First Test match (Lord's)
May 15-19: Second Test match (Chester-le-Street)
May 21: v Somerset (Taunton)
May 24: First ODI (Bristol)
May 27: Second ODI (Edgbaston)
May 30: Third ODI (Headingley)