England will begin next year's tour of the West Indies in St Kitts rather than Barbados, they have learned today.

The West Indies Cricket Board have switched two three-day warm-up matches to St Kitts' Warner Park Stadium - one of the group venues for the 2007 World Cup.

The first will be a practice match against a St Kitts XI from January 25, followed by a first-class fixture against West Indies 'A' from January 29. The Test series starts in Jamaica on February 4.

England's two-day match in Barbados between the second and third Tests will be played against a BCA President's XI at a venue to be confirmed, on February 21 and 22.

A 50-over practice match in Trinidad before the start of the one-day international series will be played against WIPA President's Select team on March 14, again at a ground to be confirmed.