Cricket: Australia to play three tests in South Africain one month

The first official Australian touring team to visit South Africa for two decades will play three Tests in a month. Australia and South Africa will play separate back-to-back series in 1993-94.

After Tests in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide in late December and January both sides will travel to South Africa for three Tests in March. The programme, subject to approval by the Australian Cricket Board, is:

FEBRUARY 1993: 12-15: v Northern Transvaal (Verwoerdburg); 17: v NFO XI (Halfway House)+; 19: v South Africa (Johannesburg); 20: v South Africa (Verwoerdburg); 22: v South Africa (Port Elizabeth); 24: v South Africa (Bloemfontein) 26-Mar 1: v Orange Free State (Bloemfontein).

MARCH: 4-8: First Test (Johannesburg); 11-13: v Combined Bowl XI (Stellenbosch); 17-21: Second Test (Cape Town); 25-29: Third Test (Durban).

APRIL: 2: v South Africa (day/night, Port Elizabeth); 4: v South Africa (day/night, Cape Town)*; 6: v South Africa (day/night, East London); 8: v South Africa (day/night, Durban)*.

+ Likely to be brought forward to open tour

* Subject to upgrading of floodlights; otherwise will swap with day-time games in Verwoerdburg and Bloemfontein).