‘Dangerous Pitch Conditions’ Force Abandonment of Regional Match at SVRS

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua — Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced that the second match of the Leeward Islands vs Trinidad and Tobago bilateral series in the 2026 West Indies Championship has been abandoned as a draw due to dangerous pitch conditions at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium.

Play was halted on the first session of the third day after the pitch began to exhibit unpredictable and uneven behaviour, raising serious concerns for player safety. During this period, Leeward Islands player Jeremiah Louis was struck while batting. He was immediately attended to by medical personnel and subsequently transported to hospital to be evaluated for a possible concussion and is reported to be in stable condition.

The decision to abandon the match was made in accordance with the official playing conditions governing the competition. Under these conditions, when on-field umpires determine that it is dangerous or unreasonable for play to continue, play must be stopped and the CWI Match Referee consulted.

Following discussions with the curator, it was determined that the pitch could not be safely repaired without creating an unfair advantage and was therefore deemed unfit to resume, resulting in the match being abandoned as a draw. Both teams will be awarded points earned up until the abandonment of the contest in accordance with the championship’s playing conditions.

CWI further advises that no matches are scheduled at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium until the Championship Final, set for May 17–20, and confirms that all necessary resources and expertise will be deployed to ensure the preparation of a safe and competitive playing surface for that fixture.