ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Defending champions Barbados are among teams scheduled to play on the opening day of the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) Regional Four-Day Tournament, starting on Friday.
Barbados will play Windward Islands at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in a day/night match, the first of nine to be played this season. The Barbados/Windward Islands match starts at 3:00 p.m. (2:00 p.m. Jamaica).
Jamaica will also open its campaign on Friday against Guyana at Sabina Park, beginning at 10:00 a.m. (11:00 a.m. Eastern Caribbean).
Leeward Islands and Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) then start their season the following day at Warner Park in St. Kitts.
Trinidad and Tobago open their season in the second round when they host Windward Islands at the Queen’s Park Oval, starting on March 7.
The semi-finals are scheduled for April 19-22 and the final from April 25-28.
This year, the tournament will see the introduction of a batting and bowling points system in an effort to encourage positive play, according to WICB.
Teams will be awarded batting and bowling points for performances in the first 110 overs of each first innings only and retained whatever the result of the match.
The WICB said that the teams will be playing for two trophies this year. The team that accumulates the most points following the seven preliminary round matches will be awarded the WICB President’s Trophy and will qualify as one of four teams for the semi-finals of the Tournament to play for the George Headley/Everton Weekes Trophy.
Barbados claimed an unprecedented 21st regional first-class title, following an innings and 22 runs victory over long-standing, sporting arch-rivals Trinidad & Tobago with a day-and-a-half remaining in the Final last May on home soil at Kensington Oval.
