New signings Matt Cassar and Lesroy Weekes will have an early chance to impress on Northamptonshire's pre-season tour to Grenada later this month.

All-rounder Cassar, signed from Derbyshire during the winter, and West Indies-born pace-man Weekes are both named in the county's 15-man squad for the two-week trip, starting on March 21.

But England tourists Jason Brown and Graeme Swann will be taking a break ahead of the new season, which will see Northamptonshire chasing honours in the top division of both the County Championship and the National League.

Director of Cricket Bob Carter said: "Jason has been touring for long enough, and I think he's due a bit of rest and recuperation when he gets home from Sri Lanka.

"Graeme has done well on the 'A' tour, and got himself back into the England set-up. I think he could now do with a break as well. We need both Jason and Graeme to be fit and raring to go in April.

"Our trip to the Caribbean gives me the ideal opportunity to have a look at Matt and Lesroy early on, and in fact it gives all the players a chance to find some form before we get down to the competitive business in England."

Northamptonshire will be preparing for the 2001 campaign in Grenada along with Sussex, and the two counties are scheduled to meet in a three-day match starting on March 27.

Both teams will also face the Windward Islands and Grenada in one-day games, and are to join forces to tackle a West Indies Masters XI which is expected to include some notable names from the Windies' glory days in the 1980s.

The Northamptonshire squad will also take advantage of the excellent practice facilities on offer at St George's University, the new location for the West Indies' Cricket Academy.

Squad: David Ripley (captain), Tony Penberthy (vice-captain), Toby Bailey, John Blain, Matt Cassar, Darren Cousins, Jeff Cook, Kevin Innes, Mal Loye, Adrian Rollins, Michael Strong, Alec Swann, Paul Taylor, Russell Warren, Lesroy Weekes.

Support staff: Bob Carter (Director of Cricket), Nick Cook (Second XI Coach), Kirk Russell (Physio).

Itinerary: March 21 – arrive Grenada; March 22-23 – practice at St George's University; March 24 – Sussex v Windward Is; March 25 – Northants v Windward Is; March 26 – Northants v Sussex (one-day); March 27-29 – Northants v Sussex (three-day); March 30 – Sussex v Grenada; March 31 – Northants/Sussex v West Indies Masters XI; April 1 – Northants v Grenada; April 2 – Northants v Sussex (one-day); April 5 – arrive back in Northampton.

© Northants' ARY