Wednesday Test as England gear up for South Africa

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The programme includes a Test match starting on a Wednesday for the first time, with the third Test against South Africa at Edgbaston beginning on July 30.

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Early start: South Africa skipper Graeme Smith must start play on Wednesday

John Carr, director of England cricket, said: "One of the scheduling parameters we had to deal with was that the 2008 season has to end in early September to enable both England and South Africa the opportunity to travel to the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

"The 2008 season will include a Wednesday start as well as four Thursday starts and two Friday starts for npower Test matches. In a busy summer we feel that this sequence gives the players the maximum opportunity for rest and recuperation."

England will take on New Zealand in a three-Test series, with the first taking place at Lord's between May 15 and 19.

They will then face the Black Caps in a Twenty20 match on June 13, with an additional five one-day matches.

A four-Test series against the Proteas begins in July and they will face them again in a one-off Twenty20 match and five more one-day games, with the last of those to be played on September 3 under lights at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.

John Perera, the England and Wales Cricket Board commercial director added: "With the ever-increasing desire to shorten tours it means that the Wednesday start option had to be examined and we are grateful to npower and our broadcast partners - Sky Sports, BBC Radio and Five - for their approval. The ECB will be carefully monitoring the cricketing and commercial impact of a Wednesday start."