Jamaica’s Sabina Park could be back hosting the West Indies next year, after Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced the scheduled match dates for England’s next tour of the Caribbean.
The West Indies restarted the international cricket schedule, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, with last July’s three Test series that were played in a bio-secure bubble at Hampshire CCC’s Ageas Bowl in Southampton and Lancashire’s Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.
A provisional tour is scheduled for five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in January and February, which will form the preparations to the October’s T20 World Cup in Australia, plus a trio of Test matches for when the England contingent return to the Caribbean in March. No venues have been announced although Kingston’s Sabina Park is likely to be included.
The teams will contest the Test series for the newly commissioned Richards-Botham Trophy, named in honour of Antigua’ legendary batsman Sir Vivian Richards and England’s iconic all rounder Lord Botham.
Ricky Skerritt, the CWI President said in a press release: “This England tour to the Caribbean is welcome news for West Indies Cricket and for the region’s tourism economy.
“It has come about because of the special relationship that has been developed between our respective boards. We are looking forward to working with ECB Chair Ian Watmore and CEO Tom Harrison to expand our partnership even further into new areas of co-operation and support.
“We have already begun discussions on how the ECB can help us in our development programs, and I’m pleased that ECB has been showing so much appetite and goodwill to assist.”
WI v England Provisional 2022 Schedule | Venues TBC
| 28 January | 1st T20 International |
| 30 January | 2nd T20 International |
| 2 February | 3rd T20 International |
| 4 February | 4th T20 International |
| 5 February | 5th T20 International |
| 1-4 March | Four-day friendly |
| 8-12 March | 1st Test Match |
| 16-20 March | 2nd Test Match |
| 24-28 March | 3rd Test Match |