No Room for Antigua, UWI

Sat, Jul 10, '04

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is planning a major overhaul of the regional one-day competition this year, including a new round-robin format involving only six teams.

The makeover means there is no room for a standalone Antigua side; a team from the University of the West Indies (UWI); a foreign team or a Windies 'B' team. This year's competition, scheduled for October 8-24, is also expected to have a new name and sponsor.

The six traditional teams -- Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Windwards and Leewards -- will play twice against each other at home and away. The new format calls for the top four teams to advance to a 'Final Four Weekend' in one territory.

Under the new system, a total of 33 games will be played (compared to 23 last year). In the previous format, the teams reaching the final played a maximum of six games but this year, the minimum number of games for any team is 10.

The WICB is negotiating for a new sponsor to replace Jamaica's Red Stripe and the new system will see an annual rotation of venues for the semis and finals. Red Stripe had demanded that the final stage of the competition be played in Jamaica every year and this did not sit well with competing territories.