ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board advised on Saturday that this year’s Regional 4-Day Tournament will begin this coming Friday, February 28, with two matches.

Jamaica will open the season on home soil, when they face Guyana at Sabina Park, five hours later Windward Islands host defending champions Barbados at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in St. Lucia in the first of nine day/night matches to be played this season.

Leeward Islands and Combined Campuses & Colleges then start their season the following day at Warner Park in St. Kitts.

This year, the Tournament will see the introduction of a batting and bowling points system in an effort to encourage and incentivise positive play.

Teams will be awarded batting and bowling points for performances in the first 110 overs of each first innings only and retained whatever the result of the match.

A maximum of five batting points will be awarded based on runs scored by each team as follows:

200 to 249 runs – 1 point

250 to 299 runs – 2 points

300 to 349 runs – 3 points

350 to 399 runs – 4 points

400 runs or over – 5 points

A maximum of three batting points will be awarded based on wickets taken by each team as follows:

3 to 5 wickets taken – 1 point

6 to 8 wickets taken – 2 points

9 to 10 wickets taken – 3 points

The WICB also advised that the teams will be playing for two trophies this year. The team that accumulates the most points following the seven preliminary round matches will be awarded the WICB President’s Trophy and will qualify as one of four teams for the semi-finals of the Tournament to play for the George Headley/Everton Weekes Trophy.

Barbados claimed an unprecedented 21st regional first-class title, following an innings and 22 runs victory over long-standing, sporting arch-rivals Trinidad & Tobago with a day-and-a-half remaining in the Final last May on home soil at Kensington Oval.

Regional Four Day Fixture 2014 Final

Regional Four Day Playing Conditions 2014 Final Feb 15