THE West Indies' scheduled 2004-05 Test tour of Australia has been put back by a year "due to scheduling contraints," a report in The Australian newspaper yesterday stated.

The West Indies were expected to play at least three Tests in Australia next season in line with Cricket Australia's four-year blueprint to host one series against crowd favourites England, India, South Africa or the West Indies every season, according to the report by Andrew Ramsey.

"But it is understood the scheduling logjam caused by the International Cricket Council's own five-year tour programme has meant an appropriately full West Indian Test itinerary could not be managed until at least 2005-06," it added.

Instead, next season's Tests are likely to be against Pakistan (three) and New Zealand (two).

But Ramsey wrote that Cricket Australia still hopes the West Indians will form part of the triangular one-day series that would follow.

If the West Indies are to be accommodated in the 2005-06 season, it would create further scheduling problems since South Africa are down for three Tests.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said details of next season's itinerary were yet to be finalised, but conceded scheduling issues were becoming increasingly complex for cricket administrators.

"It's trying to find a balance on both the commercial side and the pure cricket side, and that's not only for the players but for the spectators and commercial interests as well," he said.