Red Force face Windwards in CWI four-day opener

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force open their 2023 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Championship campaign against Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Grenada National Stadium on River Road from January 31 to February 3.

The Darren Bravo-led squad finished fourth at last year’s edition but remains intent on ending its 22-year first-class, four-day title drought, having last won the competition in 2005.

Round one matches continue on February 1 when defending champions Barbados Pride begin their bid for a third straight title against Guyana Harpy Eagles at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium (SVRS), Antigua.

The third contest will see the Leeward Islands Hurricanes host Jamaica Scorpions at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua from 1 to 4 February.

The second round will be played from February 8-11 when the Red Force travel to face Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the SVRS, Barbados Pride meet the Jamaica Scorpions at Coolidge while the Guyana Harpy Eagles take on Windward Islands Volcanoes in Grenada.

The third round of the West Indies Championship resumes on March 15 with the final round concluding on April 1 when the champions will be crowned and presented with the Headley Weekes trophy.

The final three rounds will all be played in Trinidad and the venues will be announced at a later date.

Roland Holder, CWI’s manager of cricket operations said they were happy to announce the match schedule and venues for the first two rounds of the championship, “our flagship regional tournament on the annual calendar.”

“The six teams have been preparing diligently for the upcoming season and we expect to see keen competition this year as they battle for the Headley Weekes trophy.

“From the tournament, the best performers also have the reward of playing for Team Weekes and Team Headley in the new tournament announced by CWI scheduled for April and May,” Holder said.

The new Headley Weekes series will follow the West Indies Championship and will feature three matches and three teams.

Team Headley and Team Weekes will be selected from the tournament’s best performers and players outside the starting West Indies Test XI. The new West Indies Academy will provide the third team in the new series.

Team Headley and Team Weekes are named in honour of West Indies pioneers and legendary batting greats George Headley and Sir Everton Weekes, whose names are also honoured on the trophy for the championship winners. All three matches will be played from April to May 6 at Coolidge.

CWI Championship Squads (Rounds 1 and 2)

TT Red Force: Darren Bravo (Captain), Amir Jangoo, Imran Khan, Jason Mohammed, Terrance Hinds, Jyd Goolie, Jeremy Solozano, Yannic Cariah, Bryan Charles, Vikash Mohan, Uthman Muhammad, Tion Webster, Khary Pierre; David Furlonge (Head Coach)

Barbados Pride: Shane Dowrich (captain) Camarie Boyce, Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Drakes, Keon Harding, Chaim Holder, Akeem Jordan, Nicholas Kirton, Jair McAllister, Shayne Moseley, Zachary McCaskie, Shamar Springer, Kevin Wickham; Vasbert Drakes (head coach)

Guyana Harpy Eagles: Leon Johnson (captain), Veerasammy Permaul (Vice Captain), Chandrapaul Hemraj, Matthew Nandu, Kemol Savory, Tevin Imlach, Anthony Bramble, Kevin Sinclair, Nial Smith, Ronsford Beaton, Akshaya Persaud, Ashmead Nedd, Shamar Joseph; Ryan Hercules (head coach)

Jamaica Scorpions: Paul Palmer jr (Captain), Jamie Merchant, Alwyn Williams, Aldaine Thomas, Leroy Lugg, Kirk McKenzie, Romaine Morris, Abhijau Mansingh, Patrick Harty, Akim Fraser, Marquino Mindley, Gordon Bryan, Ojay Shields; Andrew Richardson (head coach)

Windward Islands Volcanoes: Alick Athanaze (Captain), Jerlani Robinson, Kavem Hodge, Keron Cottoy, Sunil Ambris, Justin Greaves, Tevyn Walcott, Kenneth Dember, Preston McSween, Teddy Bishop, Daurius Martin, Kimani Melius, Nicklaus Redhead; Shirley Clarke (head coach)

Leeward Islands Hurricanes (provisional squad): Jahmar Hamilton (Captain), Mikyle Louis, Kieran Powell, Colin Archibald, Terance Warde, Jeremiah Louis, Keacy Carty, Ross Powell, Kofi James, Damion Williams, Kelvin Pitman, Hayden Walsh jr., Rahkeem Cornwall; Stuart Williams (head coach).