Regional Four-Day cricket is set to get cracking in the Caribbean in early February, and there will be more teams and matches than recent seasons, according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cricket West Indies (CWI), Johnny Grave.
Grave revealed that teams would now play seven matches each. Since the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed the 2020 season, matches were reduced from 10 (five home and five away) to just five rounds, in one or two territories.
While teams will not play full home and away matches in the new season, in ideal circumstances, they are likely to play either three or four matches at home or the same amount away, given the inclusion of the West Indies Academy team and the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC).
However, venues could become an issue for some territories, as those scheduled to host matches in the Men’s World T20 in June have ongoing upgrade works.
CWI’s current mandate is to play regional cricket at International Cricket Council-accredited venues.
The Academy and CCC join defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles, Barbados Pride, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, Windward Volcanoes, Jamaica Scorpions and Leeward Hurricanes in the competition.
Champions again! Guyana Harpy Eagles won their sixth Four-Day title in the PCL era in 2023
CCC has been a constant in the Super50 tournament, but since 2011, they have not played Regional Four-Day cricket, while the Academy team contested the Headley-Weekes Four-Day Tri-Series after the conclusion of last year’s Four-Day season.
During the 2014-15 season, CWI commenced a Professional Cricket League for the Four-Day and 50-over formats.
“We are looking forward to hosting our Four-Day competition, probably towards the start of February, and we are going to have eight teams,” Grave explained in an interview.
CEO of Cricket West Indies, Johnny Grave
News Room Sport was reliably informed February 4 is currently scheduled for the start of the first round, but venues are yet to be announced.
According to Grave, from February to May, the focus will be on red-ball cricket then attention will turn to white-ball cricket.
West Indies will co-host the World T20, after which the Caribbean Premier League and Super50 tournaments will be held.
In 2023, the Four-Day season was played from late January to mid-March, with the Harpy Eagles emerging champions after the five rounds.
