Ben Stokes has condemned the alleged incidents of racist abuse that took place in the crowd during England's Test win over India at Edgbaston, saying there is "absolutely no place" for discriminatory behaviour in cricket.

England completed the best run chase in their history (378) on Tuesday to defeat India in a thrilling fourth Test in Birmingham, drawing the delayed series after Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow hit second-innings centuries in a remarkable seven-wicket win.

But the triumph was overshadowed by reports of racism being aimed at India fans in the ground on day four, with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Edgbaston subsequently launching investigations.

The claims were shared on social media by Azeem Rafiq, the former spin bowler who was at the centre of a racism scandal at Yorkshire. He made allegations of institutional racism, and an independent report upheld that he had been a victim of "racial harassment and bullying".

After close of play on Monday, the ECB said it was "very concerned" by the claims in a short statement, and skipper Stokes has now taken to social media to decry the reported abuse.  

"Amazing week on the pitch but really disappointed to hear reports of racist abuse at Edgbaston," he tweeted.

"Absolutely no place for it in the game. 

"Hope all the fans at the white-ball series have a brilliant time and create a party atmosphere. That's what cricket's about!"

England and India get their three-part T20 series underway at the Rose Bowl on Thursday, in the white-ball side's first outing of Jos Buttler's captaincy.

Australia look poised to hand Glenn Maxwell a shock return to Test cricket, with the all-rounder in contention to provide additional spin against Sri Lanka in Galle.

The 33-year-old has not played the long-form game for his country since he featured in the 2017 tour of Bangladesh, instead carving out his place in the white-ball sides.

That has included success in both ODI and T20 formats, with Maxwell a member of the Australia squad that won the T20 World Cup last November, two years on from a semi-final finish at the Cricket World Cup.

But after spin accounted for the majority of wickets in the first Test last week, captain Pat Cummins has indicated the tourists may switch to selecting a single frontline fast bowler for the second and final match.

That would likely see Mitchell Starc drop out, given Cameron Green could be utilised as a pace option, and would open the door for Maxwell, who has seven Test caps, to make a remarkable return to the side.

"He'd play as a spinning all-rounder at number eight," Cummins said. "I thought he was just about the pick of the bowlers in the one-day series, he was excellent. You can easily get 15 or 20 overs out of him.

"If the wicket plays lots of tricks, the batting will be the area where you have to find those 20 or 30 runs somewhere. Last week we didn't need two quicks, but Mitchell Starc's class so we'll wait and see."

Maxwell was a late call-up to cover for the injured Travis Head following Australia's white-ball series against Sri Lanka, and looked otherwise set to miss out following the latter's recovery.

The lack of senior red-ball cricket will not be an issue for Cummins though, who feels that if selected, Maxwell could bring great value towards the tail of the middle order.

"It's pretty different first-class cricket here to what you might experience in the Sheffield Shield," Cummins said. "It's a different pace, the wickets are so different.

"It might not be grinding out a hundred, but a quickfire 30 or 40 would be just as valuable."

The second Test starts on Friday. Australia won the first match by 10 wickets.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Wednesday announced the match schedule for the West Indies Men’s “A” Team series against Bangladesh Men’s “A” Team in August.

The series will be played at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Saint Lucia and will feature two four-day first-class matches and three 50-over matches from 4 to 20 August.

This will be the first West Indies Men’s “A” Team series since 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic restricted opportunities and the resumption of West Indies Men’s “A” team matches sees the return of a key development opportunity for players pushing for selection to the West Indies senior team and for emerging players to build their First-Class International experience.

Roland Holder, CWI’s Senior Operations Manager said the series will provide exposure for a number of players and noted it was part of CWI’s commitment to continually developing talent for the international level.

“We are pleased to have confirmed the itinerary for the Men’s ‘A’ Team series with the BCB and we are excited to host Bangladesh in the region again,” Holder said.

“This is a vital part of the development of our players in the pathway toward full international selection, and no doubt this upcoming series of matches in Saint Lucia will provide a platform for further exposure and progress.”

He added that CWI and BCB are also in the planning stages for a reciprocal tour by West Indies “A” to Bangladesh in 2023.

 BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury said the “A” Series provides an excellent opportunity for players of both teams to prepare for international commitments.

 “The international schedule is getting busier by the season and therefore it is very important for the cricketers to keep themselves ready through good competitive cricket. We thank CWI for accommodating the A tour. The four-day ‘Tests’ and the One-Day matches will be an invaluable experience for the players,” he noted.

“The BCB and CWI share a warm longstanding relationship and have worked tirelessly to make this tour happen. I hope we will see more reciprocal programmes between the two boards in the future.”

Match schedule:

Daren Sammy Cricket Ground

4-7: August: 1st Four-day “Test” – local start time 10 am (9 am Jamaica)

10-13 August: 2nd Four-Day “Test” – local start time 10 am (9 am Jamaica)

16 August: 1st 50-over match – local start time 9:30 am (8:30 am Jamaica)

18 August: 2nd 50-over match – local start time 9:30 am (8:30 am Jamaica)

20 August: 3rd 50-over match – local start time 9:30 am (8:30 am)

The Jamaica Tallawahs have announced their overseas signings for the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which gets underway on 31 August.

Left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir will be joining the Tallawahs for the first time having represented the Barbados Royals last season, claiming 11 wickets at an average of 13.54.

The other four overseas players have all had experience with the Tallawahs in the past. Nepalese leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane was with the franchise in 2020 where he took 12 wickets and went at an economy rate of just 5.27 runs an over.

Imad Wasim, Chris Green and Miguel Pretorius were all with the Tallawahs in 2021 and will return this season as overseas signings. Brandon King and Fabian Allen have also been signed by the two-time champions.

Power hitter Rovman Powell has been retained by the franchise along with Kennar Lewis and Shamarh Brooks.

The Tallawahs will have seven more spots to fill at the Hero CPL draft with details of these picks released during the draft show which will be broadcast this Thursday – 7 July – at 9am Eastern Caribbean Time.

The Barbados Royals have announced their overseas signings for the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League which gets underway on August 31.

Quinton de Kock will appear at Hero CPL for the first time, bringing with him a huge amount of experience. De Kock has played more than 250 T20 matches for South Africa and franchises around the world.

He will be joined by fellow South African David Miller who will be playing for his third Hero CPL team having previously appeared for the Jamaican and Saint Lucian franchises. Miller has more than 8000 T20 runs at a strike rate of 138.

Pakistani batter Azam Khan is returning to the Royals for a second successive season having made his Hero CPL debut in 2021.

Afghan spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman will be with the Royals in 2022 having previously played for the Jamaica Tallawahs. Mujeeb has raced to almost 200 T20 wickets and has become a sought-after bowler around the world.

The final overseas spot will be filled by South African all-rounder Corbin Bosch who recently joined the Rajasthan Royals at the India Premier League.

Expressing his thoughts on the team’s overseas signings, Head Coach Trevor Penney said: “We are delighted to have signed some of the best overseas players of the T20 format, who we feel will complement our retentions perfectly.

“Quinton is a proven match winner who has delivered for both his country and all the franchises he’s played for around the world, and we are delighted that he’s chosen the Royals as the team to start his CPL journey at. On the other hand, having worked closely with David Miller and Corbin Bosch at the Rajasthan Royals, we know exactly what they bring to the table and at the same time, they also understand the philosophy of the Royals perfectly.

“We are also happy to have the energy and excitement that Azam Khan can bring to the group, having seen him perform for us last season. While Mujeeb ur Rahman is a world-class spinner who has made his name plying his trade in T20s globally and is a quality and potentially effective addition to our spin department. From my perspective, these signings are an indication of the kind of cricket we want to play here at Barbados, and I’m confident going into the drafts that we’re building a talented and dynamic squad to vie for the title this season,” added the 54-year-old Penney.

The Royals will have five more spots to fill at the Hero CPL draft with details of these picks released during the draft show which will be broadcast on July 7 at 9 am ECT.

 Barbados Royals players signed: Quinton de Kock, David Miler, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Obed McCoy, Devon Thomas and Corbin Bosch.

Retained players: Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Azam Khan, Oshane Thomas, Nyeem Young.

Faf du Plessis, who captained the Kings to a second successive Hero CPL final in 2021, will return this season. Tim David and David Wiese will join him after were both instrumental to the Kings' success during the 2021 season.

This season will also see the return of Scott Kuggeleijn who played for the Kings in 2020, where he finished as the tournament’s leading wicket taker that season. The Kings have one more overseas spot left to fill, which will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Kings will have six more spots to fill at the Hero CPL draft with details of these picks released during the draft show which will be broadcast this Thursday 7 July – at 9 am Eastern Caribbean Time.

The Kings' squad so far: Faf du Plessis,.

To be confirmed: Tim David, Roston Chase, Johnson Charles, Kesrick Williams, David Wiese, Alzarri Joseph, Scott Kuggeleijn, Mark Deyal, Jeavor Royal.

Jos Buttler's Twenty20 International squad may not share any players with Ben Stokes' Test side, but he will hope England can echo their early red-ball success in another new era.

No sooner had Stokes succeeded Joe Root as Test skipper than Eoin Morgan was also out as England's great limited-overs leader, retiring from international cricket altogether.

New man Buttler does not find a team in need of an overhaul, as Stokes did in the longest format, but he will similarly be keen to make a fast start.

And India – fresh from being thrashed by Stokes' outfit – are fearsome first opponents.

England have not won any of their four prior T20I series against India, losing the past three in a row. In fact, India have lost only one in 14 against all opponents.

And as Morgan's final 20-over series saw a 3-2 defeat to West Indies, England under Buttler will be aiming to avoid back-to-back such losses for the first time since February 2017.

Buttler may well have his work cut out, too, with England resting their Test stars following a busy stretch while India will welcome their main men back for the second of three matches.

Rohit Sharma has tested negative for coronavirus and been cleared to lead the team from the outset, with Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant among those set to join him later on.

England's depth put to the test

Buttler has confirmed his desire for Stokes to be involved with the T20I team, but the Test captain has plenty on his plate right now and – just as Buttler ruled himself out of red-ball action for the foreseeable future – is missing for this series.

He is one of a number of notable absentees against an India side who could be at full strength by the second match and ramping up preparations for the T20 World Cup – a daunting prospect.

But this also provides an opportunity for Buttler to see what talent lies beneath those big names; Richard Gleeson is in for a debut, while Reece Topley impressed on his return to the set-up in the Caribbean.

Topley's bowling economy rate of 4.4 during the powerplay in that series represents the second-best of any player from a Test-playing country since the start of 2020 (Ajaz Patel – 3.1 for New Zealand).

Another entertaining encounter?

With Matthew Mott leading England's white-ball teams, there will be no 'Bazball' in this series, but Morgan's side were always similarly entertaining.

In fact, England (146.3) and India (145.9) have the best batting strike rates of all Test-playing countries in T20Is since the beginning of 2020.

The likes of Buttler and Pant – identified by Stokes as "someone who would fit very well in our team at the moment" – should ensure there are plenty of big scores even without Jonny Bairstow.

Ben Stokes intends to "create a legacy" with his new approach to Test cricket, and the captain of England's entertainers was further inspired by facing India's Rishabh Pant.

Since Stokes was named captain and Brendon McCullum head coach, England have won four consecutive Tests in thrilling fashion.

Across a 3-0 series whitewash of New Zealand and the delayed fifth Test against India, in which they secured a series draw, England chased down scores of more than 275 runs in every match.

Stokes' side were ultimately dominant against India, winning by seven wickets despite requiring 378 in the fourth innings – the highest target they have ever successfully pursued.

An unbroken partnership of 269 between Joe Root (142 not out) and Jonny Bairstow (114 no) completed the job, with the pair scaling new heights.

Root now has 11 Test centuries since the start of 2021 and continues to improve, "which I thought was impossible", Stokes said, referring to his former skipper as "a freak".

But the exciting 'Bazball' tactics of the past month have not been restricted to just those two players, with Stokes confirming Stuart Broad had been padded up on day four to go in as a "nighthawk", rather than a nightwatchman.

His aim? "Thirty off 10 or nought off one."

And Stokes also saw evidence of the future of Test cricket in the India batting line-up, as Pant scored 146 off 111 in the first innings. His wicket, the England captain said, was every bit as key as the Root-Bairstow partnership.

"He is someone who would fit very well in our team at the moment, Rishabh, the way that he goes about to play the game," Stokes said.

"That wicket was huge for us because we know what he can do. We know how he likes to play the game, and he could really have taken it away from us in real quick time."

Later, discussing the "legacy" he and McCullum hope to forge, Stokes again turned his focus to Pant's performance.

"Rishabh Pant's innings for India in the first innings was obviously against us, but I absolutely loved watching it," he said. "Being on the receiving end of something like that is just is incredible to watch.

"And it's great to see now that someone like Rishabh, who's obviously received his criticism over the years, is now getting applauded for that.

"The more we see players like that succeed in the way that they want to do, I think the negativity around that type of way of Test cricket will eventually die out, because it's so exciting to watch.

"Cricket is an entertainment business at the end of the day. Yes, you want results and stuff like that, but you want people to enjoy watching a spectacle.

"Test cricket has always been a spectacle, but it's about doing it differently now. So cheers, Rishabh."

Ben Stokes believes no other Test side can match England's bravery after the hosts completed a record 378-run chase to beat India in a remarkable Test match at Edgbaston.

Despite being reduced to 109-3 at one point on day four, England recovered to better their terrific exploits during the recent series whitewash of world Test champions New Zealand.

The hosts surpassed their previous best chase (362-9) against Australia in 2019, sealing the victory on Tuesday.

That means England have secured three of the 10 highest chases in their history in their last three Test matches, with the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum regime having reinvigorated the country's red-ball side.

Speaking to BBC Sport after the win - which saw the delayed series drawn at 2-2 - skipper Stokes declared that while other sides may match England for talent, none could replicate their courage.

"It is amazing," he said after a fourth straight Test match win. 

"The change, you're talking about mindset and everything like that - when you've got real clarity in what you want to achieve as a team and how you want to play, it makes things a lot easier. 

"We know what we were going to do - we knew we were always going to go out and try and chase that down from the get-go. 

"A great way to explain is that teams are perhaps better than us, but teams won't be braver than us." 

Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow both brought up centuries to get England over the line in speedy fashion on day five, with the latter becoming the first batsman to score six or more centuries in a single calendar year in Tests when batting at five or below.

And Stokes heaped praise on the Yorkshire-born duo for their stunning performances, comparing Bairstow's recent displays to his limited overs showings.

"As people from Yorkshire say, 'strong Yorkshire, strong England'. It couldn't be more true right now. These two are just phenomenal," Stokes added.

"Rooty has been doing it for 10 years and Jonny has just honestly been ridiculous over the last five or six weeks. 

"He has got runs but it is the way that he has done it - it's exactly what we talk about. He has embraced it and just gone out and there and done it. It is like watching him play white-ball cricket at the moment."

Having also become just the third England player to hit a century in both innings of a Test against India (after Graham Gooch and Andrew Strauss), Bairstow explained the players were simply enjoying an exhilarating brand of cricket.

"It is awesome, it is a great environment at the moment," Bairstow said. "It is fantastic, the way we're playing, and everyone is really enjoying the success and that is a huge part of it.

"If Joe and I are out there doing it together, we're in a really good place. We've been doing it for a long time together now.

"It is really special to knock off 378 with just three down. It is something that we'll never forget. After day two I got asked, 'what do you think is too many', and I said 'whatever they set we'll go for'.

"That's exactly what we did. The opening partnership deserves a huge amount of credit, for the way they went about it and the brand of cricket that we're trying to play, it was epitomised by that opening stand. 

"It isn't going to work every time, but the pressure and intensity which they put on world-class bowling takes a huge amount of guts, courage and skill."

Joe Root hailed England's "incredible" display with the bat after he and Jonny Bairstow starred in a historic 378-run chase against India, declaring: "Whatever they get, we'll chase it."

Having resumed at 259-3 before a lively Edgbaston crowd on Tuesday, England raced to their most impressive victory yet under the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum regime, with Root and Bairstow hitting centuries to complete the highest run chase in the hosts' history and claim a 2-2 draw in the delayed series.

The victory saw England surpass their 359-run chase against Australia in August 2019, as Root made his 28th Test ton in finishing 142 not out.

He and Bairstow registered the highest fourth-wicket partnership in the fourth innings of a men's Test (269), as well as England's fifth-highest fourth-wicket stand in any innings.

Bairstow, meanwhile, also became just the ninth player to hit four Test centuries in England in a calendar year as the home side's entertainers continued their red-ball revival.

England also recorded three successive chases of over 250 runs in their series whitewash of world champions New Zealand last time out, and Root says the team's fearlessness with the bat left them feeling in control throughout day five.

"It was pretty fun doing it. Throughout the whole summer, from that first game, we've said, 'whatever they get, we'll chase it'," Root told Sky Sports. "Ben said to us before the toss: 'We're not going to bat first, we're going to chase.'

"That's the mentality of how we're going about things at the minute. Once we got that partnership going, we just felt in full control.

"So much credit has to go to the two lads at the top [Alex Lees and Zak Crawley], the way they set the platform, the way they shifted the pressure straight back onto India.

"To smash that new ball around on a wicket that was doing a bit was just incredible batting. It really made the work that we had to do afterwards a lot easier. It really was a sublime partnership against a world-class attack.

"The feeling in the dressing room at the moment is 'whatever you get, we're going for it, and we're going to take it down'."

On a personal level, Root added he was enjoying his cricket again after stepping down as captain in April, saying successor Stokes has instilled a newfound ruthlessness in the side.

"When you're enjoying things it makes it a lot easier, you turn up to practice excited, you get out in the middle, and you're up for the contest," Root added.

"I feel in a really good place and I just need to make sure I maintain that. One thing that's worked for me is just accepting it's a game of failure, batting, and you're not going to get it right every time.

"It was good fun, like I said, there was a little bit on offer, but when you're putting pressure on bowlers it's very difficult for them to keep coming hard at you.

"We recognised crucial parts of pressure, I think we soaked it up well at times in the second innings, and then when we got our chances to put it back on them, we did it.

"We were ruthless with it, something that we might have lacked a bit in recent times – especially under my leadership!"

Centuries from Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow carried England to a historic seven-wicket win over India, completing their record-breaking 378-run chase in the first session of day five.

After successful fourth-innings pursuits of 277, 299 and 296 in the whitewash of New Zealand, England required their highest such recovery in Tests to take this rearranged fifth match against India.

But Root (142 not out) and Bairstow (114 no) had done much of the heavy lifting late on Monday at Edgbaston, allowing the home side's imperious duo to charge through Tuesday morning and improve their unbeaten partnership to an outstanding 269.

The successful chase meant England claimed a draw from the delayed 2021 series and won a fourth consecutive Test match since the new Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum regime took charge of the team.

A night's sleep appeared to have done little to rejuvenate India, who continued the previous evening's themes of rash bowling, poor field placement and regular appeals for a change of ball.

One of those early appeals was successful, but England bludgeoned on regardless, even aided by four leg byes in consecutive Mohammed Shami overs.

A flurry of Root fours brought up his hundred, reaching three figures with a stab at a Mohammed Siraj delivery that skipped over second slip to the boundary.

Root initially maintained control of the strike and the scoring, making Bairstow wait until the 18th over of the day for his century. A single did the job, with Root making his ground in time before a direct hit to celebrate with his team-mate.

And another single, this time from Root, concluded a chase that ultimately became a saunter, cementing England's ability to seemingly match any target with the bat in this thrilling new era.

Bairstow matches Root record – with time for both to break it

'Bazball' has been the making of Bairstow, who now has four centuries in his past five innings – the other an unbeaten 71. That means half of Bairstow's 12 Test hundreds have come in 2022 alone.

That ties the record for the most England Test tons in a calendar year, with Root having matched the six-century achievements of Denis Compton and Michael Vaughan just last year.

With three Tests to come against South Africa next month and more against Pakistan later in the year, Bairstow is well placed to move past six – as is Root, who has five this year.

England need 119 runs to win the rearranged fifth Test and secure a drawn series with India after a superb day four put them in position to pull off a record chase.

Delayed by a year after a COVID-19 outbreak in the India camp forced a Test originally scheduled for Old Trafford to be cancelled, a fascinating conclusion is in store at Edgbaston.

The hosts will have confidence of chasing down 378 after reaching stumps on 259-3 with the two men who hit the winning runs as England clinched a 3-0 win over New Zealand last week - Joe Root (76 not out) and Jonny Bairstow (72no) continuing their outstanding form.

India, who have dominated much of this match, were earlier dismissed for 245, and a seemingly ominous target that would break England's previous record chase of 362 against Australia in 2019.

Stokes (4-33) polished off the India tail with the final three wickets. Prior to that, Matthew Potts (2-50) did much of the hard work in reducing the tourists - who were 125-3 at the start of play - from what had looked like a commanding position at 153-3, with smart hands from Root allowing Jack Leach to remove the dangerous Rishabh Pant (57).

Despite getting little from their lower order, India may have felt comfortable defending such a lofty target. Any such feeling was quickly dispelled as Alex Lees and Zak Crawley belied their struggles opening the batting by reaching 100 inside 20 overs.

Crawley was denied his 50 as he left a Jasprit Bumrah delivery that clipped off stump and when the bowler removed Ollie Pope for a duck and Lees was run out after tea, India looked to be turning the tide.

But as they did consistently against New Zealand, Root and Bairstow wrested the momentum in aggressive fashion, both once again displaying the fluency and timing that has turned England's Test fortunes around and could now rescue this series.

Anderson achieves another milestone

Jimmy Anderson was not overly involved in limiting India's second-innings lead in a wicket-taking capacity, but his catch at midwicket to dismiss Shreyas Iyer saw him join a select group as he claimed his 100th catch.

Indeed, he became the sixth player in Tests to register 1000 runs, 100 wickets and 100 catches. Also on that list are Garfield Sobers, Ian Botham, Carl Hooper, Shane Warne and Jacques Kallis.

Lees and Crawley lay platform

Lees' half-century came in just 44 balls, making it the fourth-fastest by an England opener. His stand of 107 with Crawley was England's sixth fourth-innings opening partnership of 100 or more this century. It was also the highest such England partnership at Edgbaston.

After a Bumrah-inspired blip, Root and Bairstow took advantage of that platform, putting on 150 in 197 balls. Bairstow's lone six was England's 58th of 2022, putting them seven shy of their record total of 65 from 2005 with a three-Test series with South Africa and a tour of Pakistan still to come.

The fixtures for the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the inaugural Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) have been confirmed. The tournament will visit St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago and culminate in the final in Guyana.

The opening day of the tournament will see the Trinbago Knight Riders Women take on the Barbados Royals women before the current Men’s champions, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, begin their title defence against the Jamaica Tallawahs.

The women’s CPL will feature four matches in the inaugural 2022 season in addition to the seven women’s games at the SKYEXCH 6IXTY which takes place immediately before Hero CPL.  This is 11 matches in total, representing a big step forward in the scheduling of women’s franchise cricket in the region, with plans to grow this in subsequent years.

“It is very exciting to be able to confirm the fixtures for this season with this announcement being all the more special with the WCPL taking place for the first time in 2022,” said CPL CEO Pete Russell. “We can’t wait to be back travelling around the Caribbean and we are looking forward to welcoming our wonderful fans to stadiums across the region.”

2022 CPL schedule below:

 Wednesday 31 August, 3 pm

Trinbago Knight Riders Women vs Barbados Royals Women

Wednesday 31 August, 7 pm

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men vs Jamaica Tallawahs Men

Thursday 1 September, 10 am

Saint Lucia Kings Men vs Trinbago Knight Riders Men

Thursday 1 September, 3 pm

Guyana Amazon Warriors Women vs Trinbago Knight Riders Women

Thursday 1 September, 7 pm

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men vs Barbados Royals Men

Saturday 3 September, 10 am

Jamaica Tallawahs Men vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Men

Saturday 3 September, 3 pm

Barbados Royals Women vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Women

Saturday 3 September, 7 pm

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men vs Trinbago Knight Riders Men

Sunday 4 September, 10 am

Barbados Royals Men vs Saint Lucia Kings Men

Sunday 4 September, 2:30 pm

WOMEN’S FINAL 

Sunday 4 September, 7 pm

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Men

Saint Lucia

Wednesday 7 September, 10 am

Barbados Royals Men vs Trinbago Knight Riders Men

Wednesday 7 September, 7 pm

St Lucia Kings Men vs Jamaica Tallawahs Men

Thursday  8 September, 10 am

Guyana Amazon Warriors Men vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men

Thursday  8 September, 7 pm

Saint Lucia Kings Men vs Barbados Royals Men

Saturday 10 September, 10 am

Jamaica Tallawahs Men vs Trinbago Knight Riders Men

Saturday 10 September, 7 pm

Saint Lucia Kings Men vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Men

Sunday 11 September, 10 am

Jamaica Tallawahs Men vs Barbados Royals Men

Sunday 11 September, 7 pm

Saint Lucia Kings Men vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men

Trinidad

Tuesday 13 September, 7 pm

Trinbago Knight Riders Men vs Barbados Royals Men

Wednesday 14 September 10 am

Jamaica Tallawahs Men vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men

Wednesday 14 September, 7 pm

Trinbago Knight Riders Men vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Men

Thursday 15 September, 10 am

Barbados Royals Men vs Jamaica Tallawahs Men

Saturday 17  September, 10 am

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men vs Saint Lucia Kings Men

Saturday 17  September, 7 pm

Trinbago Knight Riders Men vs Jamaica Tallawahs Men

Sunday 18 September, 10 am

Barbados Royals Men vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Men

Sunday 18 September, 7 pm

Trinbago Knight Riders Men vs Saint Lucia Kings Men

Guyana

Wednesday 21 September, 10 am

Barbados Royals Men vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men

Wednesday 21 September, 7 pm

Guyana Amazon Warriors Men vs Jamaica Tallawahs Men

Thursday 22 September, 10 am

Trinbago Knight Riders Men vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men

Thursday 22 September, 7 pm

Guyana Amazon Warriors Men vs Saint Lucia Kings Men

Saturday 24 September, 7 pm

Guyana Amazon Warriors Men vs Trinbago Knight Riders Men

Sunday 25 September, 10 am

Jamaica Tallawahs Men vs Saint Lucia Kings Men

Sunday 25 September, 7 pm

Guyana Amazon Warriors Men vs Barbados Royals Men

Tuesday 27 September, 10 am

Qualifier 1 -  1st place finisher vs 2nd place finisher

Tuesday 27 September, 7 pm

Eliminator – 3rd place finisher vs 4th place finisher

Wednesday 28 September, 7 pm

Qualifier 2 – Winner of Eliminator vs Loser of Qualifier 1

Friday 30 September, 7 pm

Final – Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2

The region’s best Under-19 women’s cricketers will assemble in Trinidad for the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s U19s Rising Stars T20 Championship, with matches being played from Tuesday, July 5 to Wednesday, July 13, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) and the Diego Martin Sporting Complex (DMSC).

The six regional franchise teams will be participating, as well as the United States of America Women’s U19s team.

At the end of the tournament, a West Indies Women’s U19s Rising Stars squad will be selected for a proposed international U19 series against the United States in Lauderhill, Florida in early August.

Additionally, players will be looking to put in strong performances in order to be considered for selection for the inaugural ICC Women’s U19 World Cup in South Africa, scheduled for January 2023.

Several of the franchise squads feature players who have had experience at the senior regional or international level.

Trishan Holder and Naijanni Cumberbatch recently competed for Barbados in the T20 Blaze and CG United Super50 Cup, as well as Ashmini Munisar for Guyana and Djenaba Joseph for Trinidad & Tobago. The Windward Islands are in a unique position as two of their players have been part of the West Indies Women’s Senior team and A teams in the past year.

Jannellia Glasgow was a travelling reserve with the team to South Africa and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, while skipper Zaida James was a member of the West Indies Women’s A Team that hosted Pakistan Women’s A team in 2021.

”The inaugural ICC U19 Women's World Cup in South Africa 2023 is a significant global event in the continued pathway development of women's cricket. This event will provide an opportunity for girls to develop and showcase their skills,” said Lead Women Selector Anne Browne-John.

“This year's U19s Rising Stars tournament is an important step towards this goal. It will not only provide an opportunity for players to be part of West Indies Women’s history as we prepare for the World Cup, but also present a wider pool of Rising Stars to be developed to ensure a bright future for the senior West Indies Women’s team.”

Tournament Director and former West Indies Women’s captain Merissa Aguilleira said the tournament will be key to exposing talent at the international level.

“This tournament is very important knowing that we have the first ever ICC Women’s U19 World Cup next year in South Africa to look forward to. Exposing this pool of players to the international level will feed into the senior players’ pool, which is currently small, ultimately leading to an improvement of competitiveness for spots on the West Indies Women’s team,” Aguilleira said.

”The players are excited to start the competition, they’ve been very enthusiastic about the tournament. The addition of Team USA will add healthy competition for the regional teams. I am happy to see USA cricket making this investment in women’s cricket and must commend CWI for inviting them as part of their continued wider long-term strategic partnership.”

Meanwhile, USA Cricket Board Member and Women and Girls Committee Chair, Nadia Gruny said her country is thrilled to be participating in the tournament.

“We’re very excited that our U19s are a part of the U19s Rising Stars T20 Championship as part of our preparation for the first ever U19 Women’s World Cup in South Africa, which is only six months away now,” she said.

“We’re happy to continue building on our strong relationship with Cricket West Indies. Our USA men have enjoyed participation in CWI’s regional competitions in the past and we’re pleased that for the very first time, we’re able to provide this opportunity to our young women at this time.”

The CWI Women’s U19s Rising Stars tournament is part of CWI’s “Summer of Cricket” featuring matches at all levels from June to September. The event will see three matches per venue each day, at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex starting at 9:30 am (8:30 am Jamaica Time) and at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy starting at 10 am (9 am Jamaica Time) and 2:30 pm (1:30 pm Jamaica Time). LIVE ball-by-ball scoring of each game will be available through the www.windiescricket.com match centre. CWI will be live streaming two featured matches per day via the Windies Cricket YouTube channel.

FULL SQUADS

BARBADOS: Trishan Holder (Captain), Elecia Bowman, Eboni Brathwaite, Gleneisha Cadogan, Asabi Callender, Zaliya Campbell, Dicoreya Collymore, Naijanni Cumberbatch, Erin Deane, Theanny Herbert-Mayers, Solange Holford, Krisanne Howell, Camia Matthew-Brome, Nia Wood.

GUYANA: Ashmini Munisar (Captain), Realeanna Grimmond, Sarah Amin, Naomi Barkoye, Melanie Dover, Niveena Ramnauth, Lavina Ragobeer, Leah Kamalall, Crystal Durant, Trisha Hardat, Lakshmi Mahadeo, Darshanie Subramanie, Jamie Campbell, Cyanna Retemiah

JAMAICA: Jaunel Deers (Captain), Brianna Plummer, Kerry-Ann Spencer, Tianna Samuels, Tasha-Gaye Gordon, Kimarie Campbell, Kate Wilmot, Kade Wilmot, Chrishana McKenzie, Breanna Gordon, Judeen Ebanks, Lena Scott, Gabrielle Bryan, Aneisha Miller.

LEEWARD ISLANDS: Latchmi Cyril (Captain), Kimberly Anthony, Shelliqua Carmichael, Berniecia Huggins, Jahzara Claxton, Trishanie Warner, Sarah Ghandeo, J’Cazenique Hodge, Carlisa Pluck, Gabrielle Harrylall, Johanna Humphreys, Ruchira Daly, Sheanna Wallace, Courtney Browne.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Shalini Samaroo, Ameila Khan, Aniaya Roberts, Arianne Neaves, Djenaba Joseph, KD Jazz Mitchell, Katrina Ruben, Kenika Cassar, Kiara Ruben, Kirah Manpaul, Maria La Foucade, Samara Ramnath, Shunelle Sawh, Zakiyah Harrilal.

USA: Geetika Kodali (Captain), Anika Kolan, Chetnaa Prasad, Bhumika Bhadriraju, Disha Dhingra, Isani Vaghela, Jivana Aras, Laasya Mullapudi, Lisa Ramjit, Mitali Patwardhan, Suhani Thadani, Snigdha Paul, Tya Gonsalves, Sai Tanmayi Eyyunni.

WINDWARD ISLANDS: Zaida James (Captain), Selena Ross, Destiny Edward, Namiah Marcellin, Crisa Smith, Neisha Cherry, Natalia Philip. Abini St. Jean, Earnisha Fontaine, Britney Pascal, Jannellia Glasgow, Shey-Ann Gaynes, Denella Creese, Nesha Alexander.

FULL MATCH SCHEDULE

Tuesday, July 5

Guyana vs Barbados at Diego Martin Sporting Complex – 9:30 am

Jamaica vs USA at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am

Leeward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 2:30 pm

Wednesday, July 6

Windward Islands vs the USA at Diego Martin Sporting Complex - 9:30am

Leeward Islands vs Guyana at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am

Trinidad & Tobago vs Barbados at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 2:30 pm

Friday, July 8

The Leeward Islands vs the Windward Islands at Diego Martin Sporting Complex – 9:30am

Barbados vs the USA at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am

Jamaica vs Guyana at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 2:30 pm

Saturday, July 9

Jamaica vs Trinidad & Tobago at Diego Martin Sporting Complex – 9:30 am

Leeward Islands vs the USA at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am

Windward Islands vs Barbados at Brian Lara Cricket Academy - 2:30 pm

Sunday, July 10

Leeward Islands vs Jamaica at Diego Martin Sporting Complex – 9:30am

Monday, July 11

Leeward Islands vs Barbados at Diego Martin Sporting Complex – 9:30am

Windward Islands vs Jamaica at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am

Guyana vs Trinidad & Tobago at Brian Lara Cricket Academy - 2:30 pm

Tuesday, July 12

Guyana vs the USA at Diego Martin Sporting Complex - 9:30 am,

Jamaica vs Barbados at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am

Windward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 2:30 pm

Wednesday, July 13

Trinidad & Tobago vs the USA at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am

Guyana vs the Windward Islands at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 2:30 pm

West Indies batting great Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been appointed head coach of the USA’s Women senior and U19 teams on an 18-month contract.