Final three rounds of WI Champs set for T&T, Guyana

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

Queen’s Park Oval and the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago, along with the Guyana National Stadium, have been announced as the venues for the final three rounds of the West Indies Championship.

The three venues will host matches from March 15 to April 1, following on from the opening two rounds of the regional first-class cricket tournament which were staged in Antigua and Grenada last month.

“The first two rounds of matches last month offered great excitement, and we are delighted to see the resumption of the West Indies Championship,” said Roland Holder, Cricket West Indies’ manager of cricket operations.

“Based on what we saw in the first phase of matches, we can expect more keen competition among the six teams as they vie for the prestigious Headley/Weekes Trophy.

“There is a lot to play for, as players also have the opportunity to compete for places in the Headley-Weekes Series, which will follow at the end of the West Indies Championship, and prepare to compete for spots on the international stage.”

Leaders Guyana Harpy Eagles will be away to Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at Brian Lara Stadium in their third round encounter, with title holders Barbados Pride clashing with Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Queen’s Park Oval.

Jamaica Scorpions and Windward Islands Volcanoes travel to Georgetown to do battle in the other encounter.

Harpy Eagles, bidding for their first title since 2019, will wrap up their campaign at home, however, with fixtures against Scorpions and Hurricanes, respectively.

The Leon Johnson-led unit top the standings after two rounds with 28.6 points, with Pride second on 23 and winless Red Force third on 20.6 following two drawn encounters.

Volcanoes are fourth on 19.4 while Hurricanes have 17.4 and Scorpions, 10 points.

The new Headley-Weekes Series will involve three teams – Team Headley and Team Weekes and a Select Championship XI – and will see a three-match series being played at the end of the West Indies Championship, from April 19 to May 6.