Stage set for opening rounds of the 2023 West Indies Championship in Antigua and Grenada

ChampionsBarbadostofaceGuyanainfirstround; WindwardstohostT&T;LeewardstohostJamaica

ST JOHN’S, Antigua –Cricket West Indies (CWI)

yesterday announced the match schedule and venues forthefirsttworoundsofthe West Indies Championship, the region’s first-class fourday red ball tournament, which will be played in Antigua and Grenada. The tournament will open with the Windward Islands Volcanoes hosting the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at the Grenada National Stadium (GNS)

This match will start on 31 Januaryandwillcontinueon 1to3February

In Antigua, defending champions the Barbados Pridewillstarttheirbidfora third straight title when they faceGuyanaHarpyEaglesin the feature match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium (SVRS) on 1 to 4 February

Thethirdcontestwillseethe Leeward Islands Hurricanes hosting the Jamaica Scorpions at the Coolidge CricketGround(CCG)from 1to4February

Thesecondroundwillbe playedfrom8to11February when the Barbados Pride will meet the Jamaica Scorpions at CCG; Trinidad & Tobago Red Force travel to face the Leeward Islands HurricanesattheSVRS,and the Guyana Harpy Eagles take on the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the GNS.

The third round of the West Indies Championship resumes on 15 March with the final round concluding on 1 April when the 2023 Champions will be crowned and presented with the Headley Weekes Trophy

The final three rounds will allbeplayedinTrinidadand the venues will be announcedatalaterdate.

Roland Holder, CWI’s Manager of Cricket Operations said: “We are happytoannouncethematch schedule and venues for the first two rounds of the West Indies Championship, our flagshipregionaltournament on the annual calendar The six teams have been preparing diligently for the upcoming season and we expect to see keen competitionthisyearasthey 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.”

The new Headley Weekes Series will follow t h e W e s t I n d i e s Championship and will feature three matches and three teams. Team Headley andTeamWeekeswillselect from the best performers in the 2023 West Indies Championship and players outside the starting West IndiesTestXI.ThenewWest IndiesAcademywillprovide the third team in the new Series.

Team Headley andTeam Weekesarenamedinhonour of West Indies pioneers and legendary batting greats George Headley and Sir Everton Weekes, whose names are also honoured on theTrophyforthewinnersof t h e W e s t I n d i e s Championship All three matcheswillbeplayedfrom 18Aprilto6MayatCCGin