GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Holders Jamaica look set to begin their regional One-day title defence against Barbados at Bourda Oval on November 13.
A copy of the draft fixtures obtained from an official source also reveals that hosts Guyana battle Windward Islands at the Guyana National Stadium, and Canada, making a return to the competition, tackles Leeward Islands at Everest in the other matches on the opening day.
Trinidad and Tobago, who along with Jamaica, Barbados and Guyana reached the semifinals last year, play their opening game against Leewards at Bourda on November 14, the same day that the United States, also making a return to the competition, oppose Barbados at the Stadium.
The Combined Campuses and Colleges also play their first match on November 14 against Windwards at Enmore.
After a venue switch from North America to South America, the West Indies Cricket Board has apparently made changes to the draft fixtures – changing the dates, venues, and teams involved before steeling on the latest fixtures which sees 21 matches packed into nine days at six venues.
Nine teams will now contest the Championship instead of 10 with the Combined Campuses and Colleges, Canada, and the United States joining the six traditional first-class teams – Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Leewards, Trinidad and Tobago, and Windwards.
Chetram Singh, the president of the Guyana Cricket Board and the WICB, disclosed that the proposal to include a regional Under-19 squad was shelved however.
The fixtures also confirm that the semifinals and the Final will be contested under floodlights at the Guyana National Stadium for the second time in the history of the competition.
The final four (semi-finals) were also played under lights in Barbados, when Jamaica beat Trinidad & Tobago to lift the title last year at the Three Ws Oval.
But strangely no day/night matches have been scheduled for the qualifying rounds of the competition, although the Stadium is set to host at least four matches before the semis and the final.
All of the grounds being used for the 50-overs competition are first-class venues, and Singh is confident that Guyana will once again host a successful competition since the country has a strong tradition of hosting successful regional tournaments at all levels in the past.
The two semifinals finals are fixed for November 21 and 22, and the final will be played on November 23.
