Test cricket to return to Guyana after 13 years, South Africa to face WI at Providence

Flashback! Shivnarine Chanderpaul plays a shot against Pakistan at the Providence National Stadium in 2011.
Flashback! Shivnarine Chanderpaul plays a shot against Pakistan at the Providence National Stadium in 2011.

-CWI announces West Indies 2024 schedule

Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced a packed 2024 schedule for the West Indies Men yesterday, which will feature three international home tours against South Africa, England and Bangladesh, from May to December of this year.

In the press release, it was revealed that the visiting South African side will play a test match in Guyana at the Providence National Stadium, East Bank Demerara, marking the first time in 13 years that test cricket will be played on Guyanese soil.

The test match, the second of two tests, is slated for August 15-19 with the first slated for Trinidad and Tobago from August 7-11.

In the release to the media, CWI states; “The home tours begin with a visit from South Africa, featuring three (3) T20 Internationals (T20Is) at Sabina Park, prior to the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The Proteas then return to the region after the West Indies Test Tour to England in July, with a two (2)-Test Match Series to be played in Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana, followed by a second three (3)-match T20I Series at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad, ahead of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL)”.

Additionally, the ‘Men in Maroon’ will embark on a white-ball tour away to Sri Lanka in October after which, England will arrive in the Caribbean for three (3) CG United One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and five (5) T20Is. That series will be hosted by Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, and Saint Lucia.

The year will then close with a visit from Bangladesh who will take part in an all-format tour before the Christmas season with two (2) Test Matches in Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda, followed by three (3) CG United ODIs in St. Kitts and Nevis, and three (3) T20Is in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

According to the release from CWI, the body’s Chief Executive, Johnny Grave, said “We are delighted to announce our West Indies Men’s Home Series for the remainder of the year, which will welcome South Africa, England, and Bangladesh to eight of our host countries in the West Indies, including Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for the first time since 2012. While significant improvements were made to the National Stadium in Grenada and Windsor Park in Dominica, we were unable to host International cricket there this year. However, we are already looking forward to returning to both venues in 2025”.

The last time Guyana saw test cricket action was in 2011 when Pakistan played the West Indies at Providence from May 12-15. The hosts won that match by 40 runs in that instance.