ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) — Newly minted one-day champions Windward Islands will hope to keep their dream season alive when they clash with Barbados in the semi-finals of the Regional Four-Day Championship starting here today.

The Windwards are oozing confidence after crushing Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) in the Super50 final a fortnight ago, and believe they can go a step further to also win the four-day title.

“It was an amazing honour to lift the Clive Lloyd Trophy at Kensington Oval after we beat CCC to win our first title in over a decade,” captain Liam Sebastien said.

“That was a truly great feeling and memorable occasion. Now we want to get even better and win the four-day competition as well.

“The team is full of confidence after the way we played in the 50-over tournament. It is amazing what winning can do for a team and a group of people. We expect good crowd support in Dominica where people are passionate about the game.”

In that preliminary round contest in March, the Windwards crushed Barbados by 216 runs at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, en route to finishing second in the final standings on 60 points behind five-time defending champions Jamaica.

The victory was set up by West Indies off-spinner Shane Shillingford who finished with a match haul of 12 for 102 — including eight second innings wickets — and resurgent opener Devon Smith who hit an unbeaten 150 in the second innings.

Both these players will again be expected to be the trump cards for the Windwards. Smith is the tournament’s leading batsmen with 682 runs at an average of 85, while Shillingford is the joint leading wicket-taker with 46 scalps at a phenomenal average of 12.13.

Barbados, who were not as spectacular during the season and finished third on 48 points, will be hoping to thwart the Windwards’ heady plans.

They have been boosted by the inclusion of Test speedster Kemar Roach, in for the injured Tino Best, and coach Hendy Springer believes this could be the key to Barbados’ success at Windsor Park.

Roach should have plenty of support, however. Young fast bowler Miguel Cummins has picked up 26 wickets at just under 16 apiece, while off-spinner Ashley Nurse has claimed 30 wickets and seasoned left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, 18 wickets.

Barbados’ batting has been nothing to write home about, but 20-year-old Test opener Kraigg Brathwaite has stood out with 440 runs at an average of 55.

SQUADS:

Windwards — Liam Sebastien (captain), Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Lyndon James (wicketkeeper), Delorn Johnson, Keddy Lesporis, Garey Mathurin, Nelon Pascal, Kenroy Peters, Dalton Polius, Shane Shillingford, Devon Smith, Tyrone Theopille.

Barbados — Kirk Edwards (captain), Suliemen Benn, Rashidi Boucher, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich (wicket-keeper), Shai Hope (wicketkeeper), Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach, Javon Searles, Kevin Stoute.

Umpires: Peter Nero, Joel Wilson.