Barbados Today

Despite suspicions in some quarters that the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) might not be in the good books of the new Cricket West Indies administration, BCA president Conde Riley says he has no issues with CWI not scheduling either New Zealand or South Africa to play any international matches at Kensington Oval during their imminent tours.

The BCA did not support the candidature of president Ricky Skerritt and vice-president Dr Kishore Shallow in the elections that saw former president Dave Cameron unseated. And Riley was highly critical of Skerritt and Shallow when the coaching staff and selectors were dismissed just weeks before the World Cup in England.

Today CWI announced the schedule for the tours to the Caribbean of the Kiwis and the Proteas and no matches have been scheduled for Kensington Oval. However, minnows Ireland will be visiting the Caribbean in January and Barbados will host a warm-up match on January 4, and two One-Day Internationals on January 7 and 9. Riley told Barbados TODAY that contrary to what others might think he did not foresee any backlash from CWI and he had no issues with the itinerary.

“I don’t have any problem with the schedule. Ireland will be in Barbados early next year. They will play a warm-up 50 over match at the Three Ws Oval and the first and second ODIs against the West Indies at Kensington Oval in early January next year. If Barbados was not hosting any matches that would have been a matter of concern for me,” he said.

Riley added: “I think the Board is trying to spread the matches around which is good for the fans in the other islands. Therefore, I don’t consider the fact that we are hosting only two International matches as any adverse action by Cricket West Indies against us,” Riley said.

Windsor Park is set to return as a venue.

The facility there suffered damage when deadly Category Five Hurricane Maria devastated Dominica two years ago, leaving hundreds of millions in damage and over 31 people dead.

Windsor Park had its last taste of international cricket earlier in 2017 when Pakistan beat West Indies on a dramatic final day of the last Test.

Having returned to the domestic schedule this year when it staged a first class match between Windward Islands Volcanoes and Leeward Islands Hurricanes back in February, the venue will play host to one ODI and a T20 International – one of 11 West Indies are expected to play ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia later that year.

The three-year home cycle was announced today by Cricket West Indies which will see Sri Lanka, Australia and Pakistan touring in 2021 and England, Bangladesh and India arriving the following year.

“This is a significant step forward for CWI and cricket fans and stakeholders across the region,” said CWI chief executive, Johnny Grave.

“Not only does this provide a full calendar of international fixtures which allows us to better plan and schedule our cricket, but it allows everyone who supports and loves cricket to know when the next big game or tournament is coming.”

West Indies will welcome Ireland at the start of next year for a series comprising three One-Day Internationals and three T20 Internationals from January 4-19.

After touring England for three Tests in June, West Indies will return to the Caribbean to take on number two-ranked New Zealand in another limited overs series of three ODIs and T20 Internationals.

The tour, which runs from July 8-19, will see the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in Antigua staging the opening two ODIs, with the last ODI and the first T20I heading to Windsor Park.

Guyana’s National Stadium will host the final two T20s.

South Africa will arrive immediately on New Zealand’s departure for their first Caribbean series in nearly a decade, to play two Tests and five T20 Internationals from July 15 to August 16.

Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad will stage the first Test while the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground will host the second, before teams head to Central Broward Stadium in Fort Lauderdale for the opening two T20s.

Sabina Park in Jamaica will be the stage for the last three matches of the series.

Significantly, the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad and the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium are set to be crowned as international venues during the 2021 home schedule when they host T20s involving Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively.

West Indies Women, meanwhile, will host South Africa in May next year and are expected to play a minimum of 15 ODIs – home and away – in preparation for the 50-overs Women’s World Cup in 2021.

MATCH SCHEDULE (West Indies men)

(Ireland in West Indies)

January 4: 50-over warm-up match – Three Ws Oval, Barbados

January 7: 1st Colonial Medical Insurance ODI – Kensington Oval, Barbados

January 9: 2nd Colonial Medical Insurance ODI – Kensington Oval

January 12: 3rd Colonial Medical Insurance ODI – Grenada National Stadium, Grenada

January 15: 1st T20I – Grenada National Stadium

January 18: 2nd T20I – Warner Park, St Kitts

January 19: 3rd T20I – Warner Park, St Kitts

(West Indies in England)

June 4-8: 1st Test – The Oval

June 12-16: 2nd Test – Edgbaston

June 25-29: 3rd Test – Lords

(New Zealand in West Indies)

July 8: 1st Colonial Medical Insurance ODI – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua

July 10: 2nd Colonial Medical Insurance ODI – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground

July 13: 3rd Colonial Medical Insurance ODI – Windsor Park, Dominica

July 15: 1st T20I – Windsor Park

July 18: 2nd T20I – Guyana National Stadium, Guyana

July 19: 3rd T20I – Guyana National Stadium

(South Africa in West Indies)

July 15-19: warm-up match – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad

July 23-27: 1st Test – Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad

July 31 to August 4: 2nd Test – Daren Sammy Stadium, Saint Lucia

August 8: 1st T20I – Broward County Stadium, USA

August 9: 2nd T20I – Broward County Stadium, USA

August 12: 3rd T20I – Sabina Park, Jamaica

August 15: 4th T20I – Sabina Park

August 16: 5th T20I – Sabina Park

(West Indies ICC T20 World Cup)

October 25: vs New Zealand – Melbourne Cricket Ground

October 28: vs Australia – Perth Stadium

October 30: vs Qualifier B2 – Perth Stadium

November 3: vs Pakistan – Adelaide Oval

November 7: vs Qualifier A1 – Melbourne Cricket Ground

November 11: Semifinal 1 – Sydney Cricket Ground

November 12: Semifinal 2 – Adelaide Oval

November 15: FINAL – Melbourne Cricket Ground
(WG/DH)