– Brathwaite back as Barbados skipper
Barbados Pride will open their 2026 regional First-Class campaign against Jamaica Scorpions as the West Indies Four-Day championship returns with a revamped competition format.
Defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles will play Windward Islands Volcanoes.
The teams are scheduled to meet in a three-match bilateral contest as part of the tournament’s opening phase, which begins on Sunday, April 12.
All matches in the competition will be played from Sunday to Wednesday. The Leeward Islands Hurricanes will square off against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in Antigua.
Under the new structure, teams will earn points from their matches during the opening stage, with the side finishing with the highest overall tally advancing directly to the championship final. That final match is scheduled to be played from May 17 to 20 in Antigua.
Before the final, the teams finishing second and third in the standings will contest a one-off playoff to determine the other finalist. During that same period, the top-ranked team will also play a fixture against the West Indies Academy.
The revised format significantly reduces the number of matches in the tournament while maintaining a pathway to the final through both direct qualification and the playoff route.
Meanwhile, the Barbados Cricket Association has announced the Barbados Pride squad for the opening round of the West Indies First-Class Championship, with Kraigg Brathwaite set to captain the side against the Jamaica Scorpions in Jamaica.
Squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain); Joshua Bishop; Leniko Boucher; Shian Brathwaite; Jonathan Drakes; Johann Layne; Kyle Mayers; Jair McAllister; Shayne Moseley; Ramon Simmonds; Shamar Springer; Jomel Warrican, and Kevin Wickham.
The Guyana Harpy Eagles are expected to announce their squad shortly.
The post Guyana Harpy Eagles to face Windward Islands in 4-Day opener appeared first on Guyana Times.
