The South Africans, during a four-month tour starting on May 14, will also play three one-day internationals, two one-day matches in Ireland and one in Holland and a triangular tournament involving Sri Lanka.

Bacher said that England will have a five-Test series in South Africa during the 1999-2000 season.

Itinerary

May 14-16: v Worcestershire (Worcester); 17: v Duke of Norfolk's XI (Arundel); 19: v Kent (Canterbury); 21: v England (1st one-day int'nal, The Oval); 23: v England (2nd one-day int'nal, Old Trafford); 24: v England (3rd one-day int'nal, Headingley); 27: v Minor Counties XI (Stone).

May 29-June 1: v Gloucestershire (Bristol); 4-8: v England (1st Test, Edgbaston); 10: v Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire or Warwickshire (to be confirmed); 12-14: v Sussex (Arundel); 18-22: v England (2nd Test, Lord's); 24-26: v British Universities (Fenners); 28: v Northamptonshire (Northampton).

July 2-6: v England (3rd Test, Old Trafford); 8: v Holland (Amsterdam); 10: v Ireland (Dublin); 12: v Ireland (Downpatrick); 14-16: v Durham (Chester-le-Street); 18-20: v Derbyshire (Derby); 23-27: v England (4th Test, Trent Bridge); 29: v Essex, Derbyshire or Worcestershire (tbc).

31-Aug 2: v Essex (Chelmsford); 6-10: v England (5th Test, Headingley); 12: v First Class Counties Select XI (to be confirmed).

Triangular T'ment: Aug 14: S Africa v Sri Lanka (Trent Bridge); 16: England v Sri Lanka (Lord's); 18: England v S Africa (Edgbaston).