Cricket West Indies (CWI) is announcing the appointment of three women to its Board of Directors, marking a historic milestone for gender diversity and inclusion within the organization.

Ms. Diann Campbell and Mrs. Louise Victor-Frederick join as new appointees, while Mrs. Debra Coryat-Patton returns to the board.

Ms. Diann Campbell, a distinguished Jamaican cricket administrator with nearly three decades of experience, holds a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management and a Bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in Politics. Her expertise in cricket administration, corporate governance, and organizational development will greatly benefit CWI's strategic initiatives.

Mrs. Louise Victor-Frederick, a seasoned branding and communications strategist from St. Lucia, brings a wealth of experience to the board. With a Master’s degree in International Public Relations and Global Communications Management, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Mrs. Victor has made significant contributions to the corporate landscape of St. Lucia. She also serves as a Director of the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture.

Returning to the Board of Directors is Mrs. Debra Coryat-Patton, an accomplished Attorney-at-Law from Trinidad & Tobago. Mrs. Coryat-Patton specializes in Employment Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Diplomatic Protocol, bringing invaluable legal expertise to the board. She is also a Chartered Director and Chartered Corporate Secretary, reflecting her commitment to governance excellence.

In addition to these appointments, Mr. Hallam Nichols has been reappointed as an Independent Director, further enhancing the board's collective expertise and vision. Mr. Nichols is a prominent Barbadian entrepreneur. He served on the CWI Stakeholders Relations Committee.

Dr. Kishore Shallow, President of Cricket West Indies, expressed his enthusiasm for the new appointments, stating, "We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Campbell and Mrs. Victor-Frederick as new appointees, and we warmly welcome back Mrs. Coryat-Patton and Mr. Nichols to the CWI Board of Directors. Their diverse backgrounds, extensive experience, and unwavering commitment to excellence will undoubtedly strengthen our organization and contribute to the advancement of cricket in the West Indies."

Regarding diversity on the board, President Shallow emphasized, "Since the beginning, I've advocated for diversity within CWI to ensure fairness both on and off the field. This appointment is a natural progression of our ongoing commitment."

President Shallow also thanked the outgoing Independent Directors saying "My profound gratitude to both Manniram Prashad and Gail Mathurin for their service as independent directors. They have certainly made meaningful contributions to West Indies Cricket, and we anticipate their continued involvement and impact in other capacities".

With these appointments, CWI reaffirms its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, setting a new standard for cricket governance in the region. All four appointments are for a one-year period ending March 2025.

In a pivotal moment at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Cricket West Indies (CWI) held in Antigua on Saturday 23 March 2023, President Dr. Kishore Shallow tabled a series of resolutions aimed at implementing governance reforms recommended by the Wehby Report. However, despite extensive consultations and deliberations, some of the resolutions failed to secure the absolute majority threshold required for passage.

President Shallow expressed optimism despite the setback, stating,

"While it is disappointing that some resolutions did not find favor with majority on this occasion, I remain committed to ensuring that CWI governance structure is always at its most robust. We will return to consultation with our shareholders to sensitize and advocate further for adopting modern corporate best practices."

The resolutions tabled were derived from the Wehby Report, a comprehensive document that followed a period of significant consultations within the cricketing community. President Shallow emphasized the importance of these reforms in advancing the integrity and effectiveness of CWI.

"We have engaged in thorough consultations and discussions to formulate these resolutions, all to strengthen the governance structure of CWI," remarked President Shallow. "It is imperative that we continue our efforts to enact these reforms for the betterment of West Indies cricket."

President Shallow affirmed his resolve to fostering positive change within CWI. He echoed,

"Our effort toward improvement on all fronts continues unabated. We will engage rigorously with our stakeholders, leveraging their insights and expertise to navigate this intricate process while re-examining CWI’s governance structure."

The AGM attained a full quorum with shareholders present from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, and Windward Islands.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) today announced the 2024 West Indies Championship schedule, confirming the expansion in the number of participating teams and rounds for the premier four (4)-Day competition.

After a winning performance in the Headley-Weekes tournament in 2023, the West Indies Academy are all set to make their debut in the West Indies First-Class season, along with the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) who are making a return, re-joining the tournament after a few years’ absence.

The 2024 West Indies Championship is set to begin in February, with the opening three rounds spanning from 7 to 24 February. In the first block of games, matches will take place in two Host Countries: St. Kitts and Nevis at two venues, Warner Park and the Conaree Cricket Centre, and in Jamaica, at three venues, Sabina Park, Kensington Cricket Club, and Chedwin Park. The second block of matches resume on 13 March, with the fourth and fifth rounds scheduled to be held in Trinidad and Tobago at the Queen’s Park Oval, the Diego Martin Sports Complex and the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground at UWI Spec, and in Antigua and Barbuda at the Coolidge Cricket Ground. The tournament will then restart after Easter with the final two rounds from 10 to 20 April with matches in Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

The competing eight regional teams fighting for the Headley Weekes Trophy over seven (7) rounds of matches are – defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles, Barbados Pride, Combined Campuses and Colleges, Jamaica Scorpions, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, West Indies Academy and Windward Islands Volcanoes.

The 2024 West Indies Championship will have a significant increase in prize money with the winning team receiving US$250,000, while second-placed team will receive US$100,000.

Johnny Grave, CWI Chief Executive Officer said: “We are pleased to announce the schedule for the upcoming West Indies Championship and welcome two new teams and an expansion in the number of matches. With significant upgrades taking place at all the host venues for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June and additional improvements being made to the National Stadium in Grenada and Windsor Park in Dominica, we are using nine venues across Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda and Trinidad & Tobago. The eight teams will be fighting hard for the Headley Weekes Trophy and the new prize money of US$250,000 available to the winning team. All the games will be shown live on our YouTube channel, with live ball-by-ball scores on our website so that fans around the region and world can watch and follow the competition unfold over the next three months.”
The West Indies Championship will run from 7 February to 20 April. Fans can stream all the matches live on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel and access live ball-by-ball scoring here in the match centre.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
West Indies Championship 2024
7 to 10 February:

Jamaica Scorpions vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - Sabina Park, Jamaica

CCC vs Barbados Pride - Chedwin Park, Jamaica

Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs West Indies Academy - Warner Park, St. Kitts

Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - Conaree Cricket Centre, St. Kitts

14 to 17 February:

Jamaica Scorpions vs CCC - Sabina Park, Jamaica

Barbados Pride vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - Kensington Cricket Club, Jamaica

Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Guyana Harpy Eagles - Warner Park, St. Kitts

Trinidad &Tobago Red Force vs West Indies Academy - Conaree Cricket Centre, St. Kitts

21 to 24 February:

Jamaica Scorpions vs Barbados Pride - Sabina Park, Jamaica

Windward Islands Volcanoes vs CCC - Chedwin Park, Jamaica

Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Trinidad &Tobago Red Force - Warner Park, St. Kitts

West Indies Academy vs Guyana Harpy Eagles - Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG), Antigua

13 to 16 March:

Trinidad &Tobago Red Force vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad

CCC vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes - Diego Martin Regional Complex, Trinidad

Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Barbados Pride - Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground at UWI Spec (UWI SPEC), Trinidad

West Indies Academy vs Jamaica Scorpions - CCG, Antigua

20 March to 23 March:

Trinidad &Tobago Red Force vs Barbados Pride - Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad

Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Jamaica Scorpions - Diego Martin Regional Complex, Trinidad

Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - UWI SPEC, Trinidad

West Indies Academy vs CCC - CCG, Antigua

10 to 13 April:

Jamaica Scorpions vs Guyana Harpy Eagles - Sabina Park, Jamaica

CCC vs Trinidad &Tobago Red Force - Chedwin Park, Jamaica

Leeward Hurricanes vs Barbados Pride - UWI SPEC, Trinidad

West Indies Academy vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - CCG, Antigua

17 to 20 April:

Jamaica Scorpions vs Trinidad &Tobago Red Force - Sabina Park, Jamaica

CCC vs Guyana Harpy Eagles - Kensington Cricket Club, Jamaica

Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - UWI SPEC, Trinidad

West Indies Academy vs Barbados Pride - CCG, Antigua

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Sam Curran refused to dwell too much on his weekend drubbing and believes he demonstrated his strength of character by helping England level their ODI series against the West Indies.

Curran recorded the most expensive figures by an England bowler in ODIs on Sunday as the Windies drew first blood in the three-match series, finishing with nought for 98 after 9.5 bruising overs.

He returned to the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Wednesday and laid the groundwork for England’s six-wicket win, snaring top-order trio Keacy Carty, Brandon King and Shimron Hetmyer.

After a redemptive display as he regained his moniker of “making things happen”, Curran felt there was nothing to be gained from focusing on the negatives as he drew an emphatic line under the experience.

“Any time you bowl in certain scenarios, you know you’re going to have a tough day but I think if you dwell on those things too much, I feel like it would have probably affected me here,” he said.

“The big, big messaging from this group was ‘you’ve got to learn from those situations’ and I feel like I’m a very strong character in that regard. I don’t feel like that’s going to affect me at all.

“Hopefully I just bounce back stronger and learn from those days that are tough. There’s a little bit of relief, I guess, it was a tough day the other day but it was fantastic to get the win here.

“I feel like I haven’t played a huge amount over the last couple of months, like any player it’s a bit of rhythm and confidence and fingers crossed we can keep looking forwards.”

Curran was axed from the side after three anonymous displays at the World Cup, where he averaged 11.66 with the bat and took two wickets and leaked 140 runs in 17.2 overs.

Scrutiny increased on his long-term role in a new-look ODI set-up after being taken down by the Windies but Curran was named Jos Buttler’s vice-captain ahead of this series, emphasising the premium England place on the 25-year-old.

“Jos mentioned before the series if he’d like me to do it, that’s a great honour,” he said. “I do feel like more of a senior player in the side so that was a nice, proud moment.

“I definitely feel like I can play all three formats. People can have their opinions that I might not be able to but I feel like I’m a player who likes to back myself in all those tough moments.

“The message is that it’s a new side at the moment and it’s looking forward for the next couple of years.

“I think the energy around the group has been fantastic as well. It feels like a lot of energy and buzz around the group right now and I feel quite a big part of that, so I feel that’s a good thing.”

Curran’s three for 33 saw the Windies slip to 23 for four and while there were knocks of 68 from Shai Hope and 63 by Sherfane Rutherford, Liam Livingstone snuffed out any chance of a substantial total.

He dismissed Rutherford then Hope en route to figures of three for 39, with Gus Atkinson and Rehan Ahmed chipping in with a couple of wickets apiece as the Windies stumbled to 202 all out in 39.4 overs.

Will Jacks thumped four sixes in his sparkling 73 off 72 deliveries but his dismissal left England on 116 for four and the game on a knife-edge as the out-of-form Jos Buttler strode to the crease.

Without a fifty in his previous 13 ODIs and out for single figures in five of his last eight innings, the batter often touted as England’s greatest in the white-ball formats rediscovered his Midas touch.

He was twice beaten on the outside edge early on by leg-spinner Yannic Cariah but gradually found some fluency, thumping three sixes in his unbeaten 58 from 45 balls, sharing an unbroken 90 with Harry Brook.

It was left to Brook to hit the winning runs, finishing on 43 not out, as England won with 103 balls to spare to set up a series decider in Barbados on Saturday.

“We take a lot of happiness from our team-mates doing well, especially our captain, it’s really exciting,” Curran added. “Jos did what we know Jos can do.”

The Windies are now the side on the ropes ahead of this weekend but captain Hope said: “This is gone, we can’t control a thing that happened in this game or even the first game. We have to look ahead.”

Sam Curran rebounded from his drubbing at the weekend with three wickets as England skittled the West Indies for 202 in 39.4 overs in their must-win second ODI in Antigua.

Three days on from being belted for 98 in 9.5 overs – the most expensive ODI figures by an England bowler – Curran snared top-order trio Brandon King, Keacy Carty and Shimron Hetmyer.

Windies captain Shai Hope did his bit for nominative determinism after his side had slipped to 23 for four, following up his match-winning hundred in the series opener with a crucial 68 at the same venue.

Hope put on 129 in 138 balls with Sherfane Rutherford but Liam Livingstone took out both en route to figures of 6-0-39-3 to make sure Curran’s three for 33 were not wasted on a fresh strip.

The England all-rounders endured a poor World Cup, with Livingstone averaging 10 with the bat while Curran was dropped after three anonymous performances and his woes followed him to the Caribbean.

But England persisted with the pair and named an unchanged side from the one beaten by four wickets on Sunday, and were rewarded as they look to take this series to a decider in Barbados on Saturday.

Curran was driven for fours in each of his first three overs by King but Gus Atkinson made the breakthrough by jagging one back through Alick Athanaze. It appeared the ball missed everything en route to a diving Jos Buttler but England’s review was vindicated by a snick on UltraEdge.

A partnership that put on 104 at the weekend was snuffed out for 15 and it got better for England as Carty aimed a cross-batted shot at Curran only to top-edge through to Zak Crawley at slip.

The duo combined again as Curran gained revenge over King following an indeterminate push while the left-arm seamer had big-hitting left-hander Hetmyer lbw later in the over.

Buttler was persuaded to review by Ben Duckett after Hetmyer was pinned on the back pad by a fuller delivery and HawkEye predicted the ball would have clattered into leg-stump.

Having lost their first four wickets in 20 balls, the Windies relied on skipper Hope and Rutherford, in his second ODI, to rebuild. Hope drove fluently and took three straight fours off Atkinson in the over while his more junior partner was initially content to swim in his captain’s slipstream.

Will Jacks was given his first bowl of the series, having been curiously overlooked on Sunday, but conceded 27 in four innocuous overs while Brydon Carse was belted back over his head for six.

As the smoke from the barbecue vendors beyond the stands drifted across the ground, the partnership had extended well into three figures, with both batters going past 50 before Livingstone, held back until the 26th over, ended the union as Rutherford drove loosely to Phil Salt in the ring.

Yannic Cariah was then castled through the gate by a floaty off-spinner from Livingstone, who produced a precision piece of bowling to leave Hope in two minds as he was beaten through bat and pad.

Livingstone had his figures spoiled slightly as Romario Shepherd took four fours in five balls off the all-rounder before perishing in the deep for 19 after looking to take down Rehan Ahmed.

The Windies got past 200 but they had 10 overs unused as Atkinson bookended the innings, taking a return catch after Alzarri Joseph top-edged straight up in the air.

Jos Buttler admitted his run of low scores has “gone on for a lot longer than I would have liked” after the England captain’s World Cup hangover continued in the Caribbean.

Buttler was out for three off 13 balls against the West Indies in Antigua, his fifth single-figure score in eight ODIs, while he has now gone 13 innings in this format without a fifty.

Number 11 batter Gus Atkinson was the only other England batter who did not reach double figures in the first of three ODIs, where the tourists set a target of 326 in their first match since the World Cup.

Speaking after the Windies overhauled England’s total with four wickets and seven balls to spare in an exciting crescendo, Buttler remains optimistic he can turn his fortunes around quickly.

“I feel good, I just keep managing to get out,” he said. “It’s disappointing, frustrating and gone on for a lot longer than I would have liked but there’s only myself who can score my own runs.

“I’m not going to score any if I hide away and don’t get out there. You keep working hard, you keep putting the effort in and trust that it will turn around.”

Buttler is widely-regarded as one of England’s greatest white-ball batters ever and his lean patch has coincided with his side’s listing fortunes – this was their seventh loss in 10 ODIs.

England are at the start of a new cycle and there were positives as openers Will Jacks and Phil Salt, neither of whom were selected for the World Cup group stage exit, put on 77 in 8.2 overs.

Harry Brook top-scored with 71 off 72 balls, Sam Curran and Brydon Carse put on 66 in 38 balls to lift England to 325 all out – the highest total in ODIs at this venue, a record that lasted a few hours.

Rehan Ahmed was the pick of the attack with two for 40 but Curran recorded the most expensive figures by an England bowler in an ODI as he leaked an eye-watering 98 in 9.5 overs.

Curran and Carse were unable to stop an onslaught from Windies captain Shai Hope and Romario Shepherd, who put on 89 in 51 balls to turn the tide after the hosts had slipped to 213 for five.

Hope clattered three sixes in four balls off Curran to end proceedings, finishing on 109 not out, while Shepherd crunched seven boundaries in his 28-ball stay before being dismissed two shy of fifty.

“There’s some young guys in that team who have not played loads and loads of one-day cricket, they’ll learn a lot from this,” Buttler said of a side that had five individuals with fewer than 10 ODI appearances.

“A lot of stuff we did really, really well; not well enough to win the game in the end but guys will be better for the experience, learn plenty from that and come back for the next one.

“I thought we played really well, I thought the two guys at the top set the tone really well. We were positive and aggressive and put the pressure on the West Indies at the start.

“We just didn’t quite close it out. There’s no need to panic, we’ve done a lot of things really well, there’s guys who have gained experience from this and we look forward to the next one (on Wednesday).”

The Windies are also at the outset of a new era, having failed to qualify for the World Cup, but it was Hope, a champion performer who reached 5,000 ODI runs in his knock, who was their star on Sunday.

“This definitely gives us confidence for the rest of the series,” Hope said. “We’ve got to make sure the guys believe they can win in any situation. It’s great we can start this way.”

Captain Nyeem Young and opener Matthew Nandu both hit unbeaten half-centuries as the West Indies Academy defeated Emerging Ireland by six wickets in the third One-Day match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua to take a 2-1 series win.

The Academy first dismissed the Irish for 175 in 43.4 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bowl first.

Emerging Ireland captain Stephen Doheny top scored with 64 from 96 balls including six fours while Tom Mayes hit 27 and Morgan Topping 20 against excellent bowling from Joshua Bishop (3-32 from 10 overs), Ashmead Nedd (3-28 from nine overs) and Kevin Wickham (3-42 from 8.4 overs).

The hosts then needed only 40.3 overs to successfully reach 179-4 and seal the series win.

Young led the way with a 67-ball 75* including eight fours and three sixes while Nandu batted through the innings to finish 63* off 107 balls including three fours.

Matthew Humphreys took two of the three wickets for Emerging Ireland.

The teams will now turn their attention to a pair of four-day matches from November 25-28 and December 2-5 at Coolidge.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has unveiled the 15-member squad for the upcoming CG United One-Day International (ODI) Series against England, slated to commence on December 3. Shai Hope will continue to lead the team, with the exciting addition of Alzarri Joseph as the newly appointed vice-captain.

The squad boasts two uncapped players, Sherfane Rutherford and seam bowling all-rounder Matthew Forde, who has earned his first call-up to the senior international level. Additionally, the Selection Panel has recalled experienced wicket-keeper/batsman Shane Dowrich and opener Kjorn Ottley, adding depth and experience to the lineup.

Lead Selector Dr. Desmond Haynes expressed confidence in the squad's composition, stating, "We have a clear vision. We are focused on building a solid team. Our main focus is to re-build for success at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027."

Alzarri Joseph's appointment as vice-captain was attributed to his demonstrated maturity and leadership qualities during the recent CG United Super50 Cup. Dr. Haynes remarked, "We believe with exposure and opportunities he could be a future leader in West Indies cricket. Matthew Forde is a whole-hearted cricketer who has been impressive. He is one of the players coming through the West Indies Academy programme who can form part of the future."

The CG United ODI Series, consisting of three matches, will bowl off with two ODIs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on December 3 and December 6. The third and final ODI will be held at Kensington Oval, Barbados, on December 9.

In preparation for the series, the West Indies squad will assemble for a camp in Antigua, starting on November 20. Head Coach Daren Sammy emphasized the importance of the camp, focusing on specific skills, fitness, and strength and conditioning sessions to prepare the team for the challenging encounters with England.

"We will have high-intensity, purposeful training sessions, and everything that we do will be geared towards improving and winning," Sammy declared.

Fans eager to witness the action can purchase tickets in advance through the Windies Tickets service presented by Mastercard at www.tickets.windiescricket.com.

Full Squad: Shai Hope (captain), Alzarri Joseph (vice captain), Alick Athanaze, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King
Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas.

Match Schedule:

Sunday, December 3: 1st CG United ODI at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua – 9:30 am
Wednesday, December 6: 2nd CG United ODI at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua – 1:30 pm
Saturday, December 9: 3rd CG United ODI at Kensington Oval, Barbados – 1:30 pm

The Emerging Ireland Team produced an excellent display with the ball to hand the West Indies Academy a 26-run loss in the opening game of their three-match 50-Over series at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium in Antigua on Friday.

The Irish were first bowled out for 245 in 49.1 overs after winning the toss and batting first.

Opener Murray Commins batted beautifully to finish 118* off 129 balls to lead Emerging Ireland. His knock included 14 fours and a six.

Most of the other established batsmen in the side didn’t manage to do much damage before Tom Mayes, batting at number 10, was able to hit a 46-ball 51 including a pair of fours and three sixes.

Joshua Bishop led the way with the ball for the West Indies Academy with 4-45 from his 10 overs of left-arm spin while Kevin Wickham and Johann Layne took two wickets, each.

The Academy chase started well, with them reaching 117-1 in 20 overs before a collapse followed.

The hosts went from 117-1 to 152-6 in the space of just seven overs before eventually being bowled out for 219 in 41.4 overs.

Openers Matthew Nandu (59) and Kadeem Alleyne (42) were the main scorers for the Academy while Junior Sinclair (35) and Leonardo Julien (28) also scored well.

Off-spinner Scott MacBeth and leg-spinner Gavin Hoey were the main wicket-takers for Emerging Ireland with 3-33 from nine overs and 3-43 from 10 overs, respectively.

The second 50-Over game is scheduled for Sunday at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.

Final Scores

Emerging Ireland 245 off 49.1 overs (Murray Commins 118*, Tom Mayes 51, Gavin Hoey 25, Joshua Bishop 4-45, Kevin Wickham 2-50, Johann Layne 2-52)

West Indies Academy 219 off 41.4 overs (Matthew Nandu 59, Kadeem Alleyne 42, Junior Sinclair 35, Leonardo Julien 28, Scott MacBeth 3-33, Gavin Hoey 3-43)

Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda are in sync with initiatives that will benefit cricket stakeholders in the Caribbean.

On 25 October 2023, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Honorable Gaston Browne, held an audience with CWI President Dr. Kishore Shallow at the Office of the Prime Minister in St John’s. Also in attendance were Honorable Daryll Matthew, Minister of Sports, Ricky Skerritt, Chairman of the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) Board and former CWI President, and Nelecia Yeates, CCG General Manager.

The meeting focused on Antigua and Barbuda's continued role in cricket development, particularly in grassroots cricket, infrastructure improvement, and hosting international cricket. In addition, an update of the master development plan for CCG was presented to the government officials, with both parties identifying opportunities for collaboration to transform the existing cricket facility into one of the best in the world.

CWI President, Dr. Shallow was upbeat about the partnership with the Antigua and Barbuda government. He said: “Prime Minister Browne and his Government have been valuable friends of West Indies cricket. In recent years, their cooperation in supporting CWI in the acquisition of Coolidge Cricket Ground as our home of cricket has been truly appreciated. It gives us great confidence to have them as a key partner as we embark on this next development phase.”

President Shallow also commented on his predecessor’s involvement as CCG Board’s Chairman. He remarked: “The appointment of Ricky Skerritt as Chairman of CCG augurs well for the continuation and further investment in the potential of CCG. No doubt, his wealth of experience and institutional knowledge offer tremendous value to completing this next phase of the CCG project.”

The CCG Board met on 24 October, 2023, at the CWI headquarters at Coolidge. The updated design for the facility, inclusive of a state-of-the-art training facility, was presented by the designers. In addition to cricket, a significant component of the new development comprises commercial establishments.

Prime Minister Browne was also pleased about the upcoming international fixtures for Antigua & Barbuda. In December, the first two matches of the impending CG United One-Day International Series between West Indies and England will be held at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. The country was also named among the seven Caribbean host countries for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Antigua has been the headquarters of CWI (formerly West Indies Cricket Board of Control and West Indies Cricket Board) for nearly three decades.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) is creating a development roadmap with major investment for women’s cricket in the region. This effort comes after the launch of its inaugural Women's Cricket Academy, a key initiative aimed at nurturing and developing our region’s female cricketing talent.

 Under the leadership of Miles Bascombe, Director of Cricket at CWI, the Academy commenced its operations earlier this month at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, marking a significant milestone for women's cricket in the region.

The director of cricket expressed his enthusiasm by stating, “This move aligns with Cricket West Indies' commitment to fostering the growth of women's cricket and investing in the development of players at all levels”.

As CWI embarks on its four-year budget cycle and the formation of its four-year strategic plan, Bascombe emphasizes the organization's commitment to investing in various initiatives that will contribute to the overall development of women's cricket.

“We have ambitious plans and programs lined up to ensure sustained growth in women's cricket,” he said. “Our investment in talent development and coaching will create a robust foundation for the future success of our women cricketers. Our approach is to incrementally seek to level the playing field, and we have started this process in earnest in other key areas.”

Earlier this year, CWI announced that with immediate effect the members of the West Indies Women’s squad will travel business class for all long-haul international flights and be accommodated in single rooms for all international assignments, bringing it in line with the policy for West Indies Senior Men’s tours. This resulted in an increase in the women’s budget of over US$500,000.

Meanwhile, Bascombe who assumed office in August of this year said, “We have had a fruitful engagement with our women players during our recently held West Indies Cricket Players’ Summit in Barbados, and have taken into consideration their views. Such discussions have informed the priority areas for women’s cricket at this point, particularly the development pathway.”

The West Indies Women’s A team just arrived in Pakistan yesterday for the first-ever away tour. The average age of the playing squad is 20. The majority of the players were in the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year.

Bascombe concluded by stating, “The trajectory of women’s cricket is one that is very pleasing, and that is why we are presently supporting the Women’s ‘A’ Team tour to Pakistan. Giving our players international opportunities helps to strengthen our second line and further enhances our competitive chances.”

CWI and the West Indies Players Association are in the process of finalizing a new Memorandum of Understanding. Both parties are working feverishly to achieve significant increases for women cricketers. These are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Tuesday announced the match schedule and venues for the West Indies Academy home series against Ireland Academy. The series will feature three 50-Over matches and two four-day matches in Antigua from 17 November to 5 December.

The first 50-Over match will be at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium (SVRS) on Friday 17 November followed by the second match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) on Sunday 19 November. The third limited over match will be back at SVRS on Tuesday 21 November. Both four-day matches will be played at CCG – the first starting on Sunday 25 November and the second start on Sunday 2 December.

Graeme West, CWI’s High-Performance Manager, outlined the idea behind the series and the structure. He noted that CWI continues to prioritize the development of players with the aim to prepare them to play at the highest level.

He said: “We are delighted to host Ireland Academy in Antigua for what will be a highly competitive multi-format series. This series is critical in the players ongoing development and education and we are pleased that it will involve both red and white ball matches. 2023 has provided the players with some great exposure through the Headley-Weekes Series, the CG United Super50 Cup and the Republic Bank CPL, so this will be a fitting conclusion to the calendar year and provide the squad with clear aims and objectives going into 2024.”

West added: “These five matches are not being played in isolation, but form part of CWI’s overall high-performance strategy.  We want to provide the squad with competitive environments and high-performance platforms that facilitate growth and prepare the players to excel in a West Indies shirt.” 

MATCH SCHEDULE

17 November: 1st 50-Over match at SVRS

19 November: 2nd 50-Over match at CCG

21 November: 3rd 50-Over match at SVRS

25-28 November: 1st 4-Day match at CCG

2-5 December: 2nd 4-Day match at CCG

In June next year, the West Indies, along with the USA, will host their third senior men’s ICC tournament when the cricket world descends upon our region for the ninth edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

The West Indies previously hosted the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2007 as well as the second edition of the T20 World Cup two years later.

Last week, Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago were announced as the seven Caribbean countries that will host matches along with New York, Texas and Florida in the USA.

CEO of Cricket West Indies, Johnny Grave, described the confirmation of the region as hosts as a “big landmark” in a CWI interview last week and is looking forward to inviting the rest of the world to the Caribbean.

“It’s a big landmark for us at Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the ICC because, having this confirmation now that seven of our host countries have made successful bids to host matches means that a lot of the work and detailed planning that we need to do in order to make the most of this huge opportunity to host out third men’s ICC tournament in the West Indies, and this time in partnership with our friends at USA cricket, can start,” he said.

He also went into what are the next steps in preparing for next year’s festivities.

“The next big step is to get the match schedule agreed with the ICC. We’ve got the ten hist venues. The next stage is to work through the detailed match schedule. This is the first World Cup ever to have 20 teams so it’s a big tournament to organize and there’s a small window from early June to the 30^th of June when the final will take place to get all the matches in. We’ve got group stages after the warm-up games. We’ve then got the super eights stage then semi-finals and final so, once that schedule is agreed, then it’s all systems go in terms of tickets being on sale around December to coincide with us welcoming England to the region,” Grave said.

“It’s really important that we get the match schedules announced so that we can invite the world to come to the Caribbean next year,” he added.

Grave also expressed gratitude to the various Governments who put forward successful bids to host matches.

“We’re enormously grateful for the continued support we get from the Governments of the West Indies,” he said.

“All of them that put forward bids have been successful in securing matches which is great news. We’re really looking forward to some of the improvements that those Governments have put forward in their proposals to us and the ICC in terms of ensuring that they are ready for what is the pinnacle of the men’s game currently. It’s a huge opportunity for the region to use the platform of hundreds of millions of fans watching our beautiful countries and our iconic venues and we want everyone in the world to come to the Caribbean and experience what we have to offer,” he added.

While encouraging people from all over the world to make the trip, Grave also urged local fans to come out and support the regional side in their bid for a third World T20 title.

“Absolutely. We’ve seen that unique kind of atmosphere when we hosted the 2018 Women’s World T20 with big crowds in St. Lucia and Antigua when the West Indies played and I’m sure when the West Indies play next June there’ll be big crowds at all the venues,” he said.

“We want every host country to show what a welcoming and exciting place this is to watch and play cricket and it’s really important that the fans come out in their masses. The school children will be invited as part of our community engagement program so that we can show what kind of an atmosphere it is to the world,” Grave added.

President Dr. Kishore Shallow says he remains unwavering in his commitment to delivering a new era of governance reform within Cricket West Indies (CWI).

After a series of ongoing consultations with key stakeholders since being elected in March, President Shallow notes that the indispensable role of governance is a key element in reinvigorating CWI.

“We have produced several reports on governance over the years and the regional dialogue on this matter has also been unending. The way forward is for all stakeholders to recognize that the reform effort is fundamental to the transformation and advancement of West Indies Cricket,” Dr Shallow said.

 “I am resolute, that if we are to achieve the desired outcomes and realize sustainable growth in West Indies Cricket, we must act with a measure of insistence and have a sense of priority towards the reform exercise.”

Last week during the 22nd Frank Worrell Memorial Lecture, Prime Minister of Barbados, Honourable Mia Mottley, echoed similar statements.

“You cannot have the benefit of all of these reports, from all different types of society, all different parts of the region, and then we say no, ignore it. The first issue we need to get right is governance,” the Barbadian Prime Minister said then.

 “The longer we take to do it, the worse the results will be.”

The CWI President said full consideration will be given to these reports, including but not limited to the 1992 Governance Report, Patterson Report 2007, Wilkins Report 2012, Barriteau Report 2015, and Wehby Report 2020.

Dr. Shallow led constitutional reforms during his presidency at Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association and Windward Islands Cricket Board, including introducing term limits for presidents.

In the coming weeks, Cricket West Indies will meet with the CARICOM Sub-Committee on Cricket chaired by the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. the Hon. Keith Rowley. Governance reform is expected to be an agenda item.