Australia to ditch Tri-Series in 2009 and 2010

SYDNEY: Australia is abandoning its traditional Tri-Series in 2009 and 2010 to alleviate scheduling problems, Cricket Australia (CA) said.   

The hosts, India and Sri Lanka will contest the 29th annual three-team one-day tournament in Australia starting in February, but the following season New Zealand and South Africa will play separate five-match limited-overs series.    

"It's a better fit for us to have teams come in for a short, sharp visit,; CA chief executive James Sutherland said in a statement.

"Whether the test matches or one-day series are together or they're split or they're in a block that's something we can vary from series to series and from year to year."   

New Zealand and South Africa will also play three tests and a Twenty20 game against the hosts during their 2008-09 tours.   

West Indies and Pakistan will have a similar fixture schedule when they tour Australia in 2009-10.   

CA then plans to assess the success of the new format before deciding on the schedule for England's next tour in 2010-11.   

Sutherland also played down fears about the futures of the traditional test starting on Boxing Day in Melbourne and the New Year test in Sydney, which have also been threatened by the scheduling problems facing world cricket.   

"There is absolutely nothing on the horizon to suggest those are in doubt," he said.