They have been knocked for six after learning they will fly back earlier than planned.

It means missing the final day of the eagerly-awaited fifth Test in Antigua, which starts tomorrow.

Now some have complained bitterly about trip organisers Somerset-based Llewrie's Travel.

"The organisation has been absolutely ridiculous. We have been really inconvenienced,'' said one disappointed West Indies follower.

Llewrie's had offered $698 package trips to Barbados and Antigua -- the last two stops of England's Caribbean tour.

Just 30 people snapped up the cut-price offers, despite a high-powered publicity campaign.

Fans who bought tickets believed the April 6-22 deal would be $200 cheaper than making their own arrangements.

But they soon found themselves caught out on a sticky wicket, before watching a ball.

Instead of a direct charter flight, they learned hard-pressed organisers could only provide a regular airline.

It meant the extra hassle of returning to Bermuda via Puerto Rico and New York.

There were problems, too, in getting tickets for the Barbados-Antigua trip.

The plan was for the party to fly yesterday -- but this was cancelled amid confusion.

Instead, puzzled fans were told they would be flying sometime today.

But the news which drove them into a fury was that they would fly back to Bermuda on Thursday -- the final day of the fifth Test.

With England snatching a dramatic -- and historic victory -- at the West Indies' cricketing stronghold in Barbados, interest in the last Test has soared.

Some fans are already thinking of making their own arrangements to fly home, rather than miss out on a potentially thrilling climax.

One of those on the Llewrie's package tour was Royal Gazette Sports Editor Dexter Smith.

"We ran into problems even before we left Bermuda. I don't believe the company got enough seats to justify having a charter flight.'' Mr. Smith added: "We still don't have the tickets to leave Barbados to get to Antigua.'' Nevertheless the avid West Indies supporter said the cricket had so far lived up to all expectations.

With Mr. Smith on the trip is Mr. Cleon Scotland, who said he would have preferred paying an extra $200 to have avoided inconvenience.

Manager of Llewrie's Mrs. Venita Smith admitted the Antigua leg of the tour had presented difficulties.

Not enough people had bought tickets to make the trip viable, and get a charter flight.

She accepted it meant missing the final day of the last Test.

"To have made it viable, we would have had to have got about 100 people involved.'' Mrs. Smith said with hindsight it may have been better to cancel the package tour.

But she had only the best interests of the fans at heart.

She did not rule out offering compensation when the party returned.