Leewards—T&T clash abandoned on account of ‘dangerous pitch conditions’ at Sir Viv Richards Stadium

Leewards 131 & 140 for 7 (Louis 73, Hamilton 41; Seales 7-34) draw with T&T 175 all out (Goolie 51*, Da Silva 36; Pitman 6-52)

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced that the second match between the Leeward Islands Hurricanes and the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the 2026 West Indies Championship has been abandoned as a draw due to dangerous pitch conditions at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium in Antigua and Barbuda.

A statement from CWI explained that play was halted in the first session of Tuesday’s third day “after the pitch began to exhibit unpredictable and uneven behaviour, raising serious concerns for player safety.” 

Facing up to the pace of Jayden Seales, Leeward Islands player Jeremiah Louis was struck on the helmet while batting. 

He was “immediately attended to by medical personnel and subsequently transported to hospital to be evaluated for a possible concussion and is reported to be in stable condition,” the statement continued.

“The decision to abandon the match was made in accordance with the official playing conditions governing the competition. Under these conditions, when on-field umpires determine that it is dangerous or unreasonable for play to continue, play must be stopped and the CWI Match Referee consulted.”​

CWI also reported that, “Following discussions with the curator, it was determined that the pitch could not be safely repaired without creating an unfair advantage and was therefore deemed unfit to resume, resulting in the match being abandoned as a draw. Both teams will be awarded points earned up until the abandonment of the contest in accordance with the championship’s playing conditions.”

No matches are scheduled at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium until the Championship Final, set for May 17–20. CWI has vowed “all necessary resources and expertise will be deployed to ensure the preparation of a safe and competitive playing surface for that fixture.”

Another Leewards batter, Rahkeem Cornwall, was struck on the thumb, also facing up to Seales, near the close of play on Day 2. Seales accounted for all Leewards’ second-innings wickets.

The board concluded by insisting that it “will continue to prioritize player safety while ensuring the highest standards of pitch preparation and match operations across all venues.”