Barbados to host North-South series & MCC champion county match

The Kensington Oval in Barbados

The North-South series and the annual four-day fixture between MCC and the English county champions will both be played in Barbados in 2018.

The first two games of the North-South series will be held at the Kensington Oval on 18 and 21 March, and the last at the Three Ws Oval on 23 March.

The Kensington Oval will also host the day-night fixture between the MCC and 2017 champions Essex from 27-30 March.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi staged the matches in 2017.

West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers said: "We have been home to numerous prestigious cricket events and this will once again be the case as we welcome the players to our lovely shores."

Andrew Strauss, director of cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board, described the move to Barbados as "an exciting prospect for everyone involved".

South beat North 3-0 in the inaugural series this year.

The teams are made up of the eight highest-ranked players - according to the Professional Cricket Association MVP ratings - and three players chosen by the England selectors.

The series was designed as a warm-up for the Royal London One-Day Cup and to help players prepare for international cricket.