BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - LOCAL sports enthusiasts will get a taste of pink ball cricket during the 2016/2017 Digicel/Sportsmax 4-Day Professional Cricket League.
According to information coming out of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), this season would see over 10 out of the 30 scheduled matches being played in the day/night format with the use of the pink ball.
A release from the regional Board pointed to November 11 as the start date for the new season, with Warner Park - the home-base for the Leeward Island Hurricanes - hosting a day/night match on December 15-18.
The round five clash will pit the Hurricanes against the Jamaica Scorpions from 3:00 p.m. daily.
“We welcome the return of day/night matches with the pink ball in the Digicel SportsMax R4Day,” WICB Manager of Cricket Operations Roland Holder said in the Board’s statement.
The instituting of the day/night encounters, according to the Board, is in keeping with international trends.
Just last week the West Indies played Asian rivals Pakistan in a day/night encounter that they Caribbean side lost.
West Indies cricket has always embraced the concept of day/night four-day matches as a number of matches were played several seasons ago.
“The purpose of the re-introduction of day/night matches is two-fold. First, it allows our elite players to familiarise themselves with the pink ball, and secondly, it allows for greater spectator attendance, as patrons can have a relaxing evening watching their favourite team,” Holder explained.
The opening day/night match will see the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force locking horns with the Windward Island Volcanoes at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain.
The Hurricanes will open their account against the Barbados Pride at Warner Park from November 11-14 and that game is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. daily.
Below is the full list of matches before and after the Christmas break:
Round 1 – November 11 to 14
Red Force vs. Volcanoes at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad (3:00 p.m.)
Jaguars vs. Scorpions at Guyana National Stadium, Guyana (9:30 a.m.)
Hurricanes vs. Pride at Warner Park, St. Kitts (10 am)
Round 2 – November 18 to 21
Scorpions vs. Volcanoes at Sabina Park, Jamaica (10:00 a.m.)
Red Force vs. Pride at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad (10:00 a.m.)
Hurricanes vs. Jaguars at Warner Park (10:00 a.m.)
Round 3 – November 25 to 28
Scorpions vs. Pride at Sabina Park, Jamaica (10:00 a.m.)
Red Force vs. Hurricanes at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad (10:00 a.m.)
Round 3 – November 26 to 29
Volcanoes vs. Jaguars at Darren Sammy National Cricket Ground, St. Lucia (3:00 p.m.)
***EARLY SEASON BREAK ***
Round 4 – December 8 to 11
Scorpions vs. Red Force at Sabina Park, Jamaica (10:00 a.m.)
Round 4 – December 9 to 12
Volcanoes vs. Hurricanes at Windsor Park, Dominica (10:00 a.m.)
Jaguars vs. Pride at Guyana National Stadium (3:00 p.m.)
Round 5 – December 15 to 18
Hurricanes vs. Scorpions at Warner Park, St. Kitts (3:00 p.m.)
Round 5 – December 16 to 19
Pride vs. Volcanoes at Kensington Oval, Barbados (10:00 a.m.)
Jaguars vs. Red Force at Guyana National Stadium (10:00 a.m.)
