ST JOHNu2019S, Antiguau2014Three fiercely contested matches are expected as the Leeward Islands Hurricanes take on the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in their bilateral series in Antigua when the 2026 West Indies Championship gets underway on Sunday.
The Coolidge Cricket Ground will host the opening match, where the Hurricanes will take the field under new leadership, with Barbadian all-rounder Justin Greaves captaining the side for the first time.
The 32-year-old Greaves views the responsibility bestowed upon him as a great honour, having made the switch to represent the franchise three years ago.
u201cObviously it is an honour to be entrusted by the people of the Leeward Islands to lead the team this season. Iu2019m looking forward to it and Iu2019m sure I will get help from the senior guys around me,u201d Greaves said. u201cComing through the ranks I always viewed myself as a leader, and now being given the responsibility of captain, I will look to lead from the front.u201d
The Red Force have nine players in their squad with international experience and that is enough evidence for the hosts to be wary of their prowess according to the newly minted captain.
u201cThey have several senior guys, including senior West Indies fast bowlers, so this is a good chance for us as well to express ourselves. We see ourselves as one of the better teams in the Caribbean, so we need to just have that belief and execute.u201d
It has been 20 years since Trinidad & Tobago Red Force last found themselves at the top of the table in the Regional Four-Day Championship, and they will be hoping that 2026 presents the perfect opportunity to return to the summit. They came within touching distance last season but suffered a setback in the penultimate round, losing to the Jamaica Scorpions, a result that dented their title hopes.
This serves as a stark reminder to captain Joshua Da Silva that every session is crucial.
u201cComing into this year is about starting over and starting on a good note because there are only three games and we donu2019t want to fall behind at any time at all,u201d Da Silva explained. u201cWe have a very well-balanced team, we are covered in all areas, experienced in the batting to go with our senior West Indies fast bowlers and our spinners who have been doing well for us.u201d
The Red Force have drawn on the services of experienced Evin Lewis who will be playing first class cricket for the first time in close to ten years. For Da Silva, this is an asset for his team.
u201cWe have seen a very different attitude in Evin, which Iu2019m very happy to see. Heu2019s batting well, training hard, doing the right things and we are all excited to see what he will do in first class cricket and how the team will be bolstered by his experience in the dressing room because he really brings us together.u201d
Last seasonu2019s encounter between the two teams ended in a high-scoring draw, with over 1,100 runs scored. Joshua Da Silva notched centuries in both innings, supporting a double century from veteran Jason Mohammed.
The Hurricanes responded with a double-century opening partnership between Mikyle Louis and Kadeem Henry, who both registered centuries. Both players return to the 13-man squad, which also includes Jewel Andrew, who cracked a double century in one of the trial matches, as well as Karima Gore, who found himself among the runs with a century in the preparation matches.
The composition of the squad gives Greaves confidence that the team is equipped to be competitive and play quality cricket for extended periods throughout the bilateral series.
u201cAcross the bilateral series, you want to improve in every single game, so this is a case of being disciplined throughout, overcoming individual matchups and getting better as the series goes on.u201d
The Hurricanes hold a favourable matchup in the recent meetings with two wins in the last four meetings which include two drawn results. However, the upcoming series is a chance for the Red Force to start a strong run of performances against their opponents.
u201cAt the end of the day we are preparing to play the cricket that we can play. The game isnu2019t played by lingering on what happened in the past because we must go out there and do the right things for long periods while doing the basics continuously.u201d
Leeward Islands Hurricanes Squad: Justin Greaves (Captain), Jewel Andrew, Keacy Carty, Rahkeem Cornwall, Daniel Doram, Nathan Edward, Karima Gore, Jahmar Hamilton, Kadeem Henry, Jeremiah Louis, Mikyle Louis, Kelvin Pitman, Oshane Thomas.
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force Squad: Joshua Da Silva (Captain), Yannic Cariah, Bryan Charles, Cephas Cooper, Jyd Goolie, Terrence Hinds, Joshua James, Amir Jangoo, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Jayden Seales.
Bilateral Fixtures: Match 1: April 12-15 @ Coolidge Cricket Ground; Match 2: April 19-22 @ Sir Vivian Richards Stadium; Match 3: April 26-29 @ Antigua Recreation Ground.