BY any measurement, 2012 has been a good year for West Indies (men's) cricket.
Their triumph in the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka, beating the hosts in the final, was undoubtedly the crowning moment.
That was the West Indies' first global title since winning the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy, and their greatest triumph since the 1979 ICC Cricket World Cup.
In truth, the regional side showed improvement in all areas after expected defeats — despite stout resistance — against Australia in the Caribbean and England in the cold and damp of spring in that country.
In July and August, the West Indies trounced an admittedly weak New Zealand in all formats.
St John’s, Antigua – The bumper season of international cricket in the Caribbean will reach a crescendo when the three biggest teams in Limited Overs cricket clash in the Caribbean in June and July next year in a seven match One Day International Tri Nation Series.
Reigning World T20 champions West Indies will host the two Asian giants – World 50 Over champions India and Sri Lanka – the losing finalists in both the ICC World Twenty20 Championship and Cricket World Cup.
Each team will play the other two teams twice with the matches scheduled for Sabina Park in Jamaica and Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.
The Series will bowl off in Kingston ON June 28th with the Windies tackling India on June 28th. A total of three matches will be played at Sabina with four matches, including the final, to be staged at Queen’s Park. The final will be played on July 11th, by the two teams with the most points after the six preliminary matches.
The Limited Overs portion of the Sri Lankan tour of the West Indies which was originally scheduled for April/May will now be played as part of the Tri Nation Series.
The Sri Lankan tour of the West Indies was rescheduled to allow players from both teams to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
As part of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Future Tours Programme (FTP), Sri Lanka was originally scheduled to tour the Caribbean for two Tests, three ODIs and two Twenty20 Internationals in 2013. The two Tests have been deferred and will be played at a later date in the FTP cycle.In addition to India and Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Pakistan will also tour the Caribbean in 2013, making it the first time four international teams will visit the region in a calendar year (outside of a world tournament).
St John’s, Antigua - In light of media reports in the Asian sub-continent regarding the Pakistan tour of the West Indies in 2013, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) provides details regarding the scheduling of international cricket for the 2013 season:
1. Earlier this year (2012) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) approached the WICB with a proposal to reschedule the Sri Lanka tour of the Caribbean scheduled for April/May 2013 as per the Future Tours Programme (FTP), with a view to allowing the Sri Lankan players to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
2. The SLC proposal found favour with the WICB as it would also allow for West Indian players to participate in the IPL. The WICB has been of the stated position that where possible it will seek to avoid a situation where players have to choose between representing the West Indies and playing in the IPL. WICB is fully cognizant though that this will not always be avoidable and has been engaging players on a one-on-one basis to determine the best compromise positions.
3. Due to a subsequent agreement reached with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sri Lanka agreed to play the West Indies v Sri Lanka Limited Overs leg of the 2013 tour as part of a Tri Nation Series in June/July following the completion of the ICC Champions Trophy. The West Indies v Sri Lanka Test Series would be deferred to a later date. Both SLC and the BCCI have confirmed the participation of the Sri Lankan and Indian cricket teams in the Tri Nation Series.
4. The Tri Nation Series is scheduled to commence on June 28th and conclude on July 11th. (The WICB will announce the Tri Nations Series schedule in a separate media release.)
5. As Pakistan was scheduled to tour the Caribbean from the last week in June to the last week of July 2013, the end of the Tri Nation Series would mean a clash with the start of the Pakistan tour.
6. The WICB therefore sought the agreement of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to shift the start of the Pakistan tour to immediately after July 11th. This would have resulted in the Pakistan tour going over to August.
7. This proposed shift did not find favour with the PCB for reasons which are understandable to the WICB.
8. Consequently the Pakistan tour of the Caribbean is proposed to be played immediately following the Tri Nation Series and concluding at the end of July. The PCB is currently considering drafts of the schedule and the Operations Departments of the WICB and PCB are working towards finalizing a mutually satisfactory schedule.
The WICB will provide further information as decisions are taken and agreements and plans are finalized.
Monday 17th December 2012 – Cove Spring House, Barbados: Verus International today officially launched a new franchise based Twenty20 tournament, ‘The Caribbean Premier League’ (‘CPL’). Present at the launch, were West Indies Cricket Board President, Dr Julian Hunte, Chairman and CEO of Verus International, Ajmal Khan, WICB CEO Michael Muirhead and a host of legends of the game and cricket officials and administrators.
West Indies Cricket Board President, Dr. Julian Hunte, along with Ajmal Khan, Chairman and CEO of Verus International, formally announced the ground-breaking licensing agreement for the league, which will be played across several countries in the West Indies over a one month period each year.
Comprising the best of West Indies cricket talent, each franchise team will be built around local Caribbean players complemented by a few international high calibre star players from abroad.
During his presentation Dr. Hunte said, “The realisation of the CPL is another landmark of the investor and commercial confidence which has been placed in the WICB and the brand of West Indies Cricket. The WICB is particularly pleased about the opportunities the CPL will provide to players but is equally elated with the agreement which will allow for regional retainer contracts for a broad pool of players.”
Dr. Hunte continued: “This will truly allow for cricketers in the Caribbean to pursue their profession as professionals and not as semi-professionals or amateurs. This, we at the WICB believe will allow for the strengthening and development of the game as while the CPL is a Twenty20 league the benefits that will accrue, specifically through the regional retainer contracts will extend to other formats of the game.”
With the Caribbean Premier League set to be beamed across the world in a high-definition first class production, the best of Caribbean cricket and lifestyle will be on show. The CPL will also be a showpiece tourism attraction for the region which WICB and Verus believe will further enhance the Caribbean’s world renowned tourism product in general and sports tourism in particular.
Chairman and CEO of Verus International, Mr. Khan noted: “We are pleased to announce our long term partnership and investment in the Caribbean here today. We are honoured to be in the position to partner with a region so rich in cricket history and tradition. As the T20 World Champions, it is fitting that a high quality, well-financed franchise-based T20 League be solidified in the West Indies that will showcase the best of its cricket talent. In addition to showcasing the Caribbean, the CPL will offer great economic opportunities throughout the region, something we are sure will excite everyone, not just cricket fans.”
The Caribbean Premier League will be announcing its tournament dates, locations and partners in 2013 as well as launching their website shortly.
Port-of-Spain, Trinidad – Cricket fans will get the opportunity to secure early-bird tickets for the West Indies Cricket Board’s Caribbean T20 2013 when the ticket booths in Trinidad open on Monday at 9 am.
Tickets have been set at TT$40 for all stands and patrons can make purchases at the ticket booth at Queen’s Park Oval as well as at the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board office in Couva. The two locations will open during normal business hours from Monday to Friday, but will be closed on public holidays.
The first half of the preliminary round of matches will be played at the historic Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad. The tournament then moves to St Lucia for the second half of the first round, the play-off and grand final to be played at the picturesque Beausejour Cricket Ground.
“This is one of the most exciting stages of any sporting event for fans – when they get that golden opportunity to get their hands on tickets. It’s a big moment and fans who plan to be part of the tournament will no doubt be eager and waiting to purchase tickets for their favourite seats,” said Cindy McLean, the WICB’s Event Manager.
“We are into the busy Christmas period and a perfect gift for a cricket-lover would be a ticket for the Caribbean T20 2013. We will start with sales in Trinidad, which is our biggest and busiest venue for cricket. We want to see the stands filled for every match so we have made sure we have all systems in place for the start of ticket sales, and we anticipate a busy period from Monday morning onwards.”
In St Lucia, tickets will vary in price – EC$15 for the first round; EC$20 for the play-off; and EC$25 for the Final. Fans can make purchases at Beausejour Cricket Stadium as well as the Castries Ticket Office on Jeremie Street – opposite Old Fire Station. These two ticket offices will open on Monday, January 4.
As part of the promotion for Caribbean T20 2013, children under age 16 accompanied by an adult purchasing a full price ticket, will be admitted free.
