That West Indies Cricket is woefully under-resourced — and has been so for as long as any of us can remember — is probably an understatement.

That harsh reality explains the radical altering of the 2026 regional four-day cricket championship which begins on Sunday in Jamaica and Antigua.

Last season, eight teams — champions Guyana Harpy Eagles, Barbados Pride, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Jamaica Scorpions, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, Windward Islands Volcanoes, West Indies Academy, and Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) — played seven scheduled four-day games.

This season, as part of cost-cutting measures, the West Indies Academy and the CCC have been dropped, though the academy youngsters will play one four-day game.

Crucially, three of the traditional territorial franchises will play no more than three four-day matches, while the top two will play a maximum of five.

From Sunday to Wednesday, Jamaica are to host Barbados at Chedwin Park in St Catherine, Windward Islands face Guyana in Antigua, and Leeward Islands meet Trinidad and Tobago, also in Antigua.

That exact scenario will be repeated from April 19-22 and April 26-29.

A play-off round will follow on May 10-13 with teams ranked second and third based on accumulated points, contesting for a place in the final against the first-placed team.

At the same time, that top team will seek to maintain match-readiness in a contest with the Antigua-based West Indies Academy. Both of those four-day games will be in Antigua.

The grand final is set for May 17-20, also in Antigua — the headquarters of Cricket West Indies (CWI).

Mr Miles Bascombe, director of cricket, CWI, tells us that, notwithstanding reduced playing time, the four-day championship will provide crucial preparation and talent identification ahead of two Test match home series in mid year.

West Indies will host Sri Lanka in a two-Test series in June/July with Pakistan to follow immediately after in July/August for two more Tests.

For sure, after the regional team’s dismal run in Test cricket under his guidance in 2025, all-format Coach Mr Daren Sammy and wider leadership will be anxious to see players demanding attention with strong performances in the four-day championship.

Batting, especially, has been a huge weakness for West Indies going way back.

At the local level, our understanding is that the absence of Mr Jermaine Blackwood from the Jamaica squad for the opening match could turn out to be just a ‘one off’, caused by recent engagements overseas.

But the former West Indies vice-captain and middle order batsman, now 34 years old, who last played Test cricket in July 2023, knows that if he does make the Jamaica team in limited opportunities up ahead, he will need a truly signature statement to have any chance of a Test revival.

Current Barbados and former West Indies captain and opener Mr Kraig Brathwaite will also be bent on making a massive impact after being dropped last year during West Indies 0-3 home series loss to Australia.

We note that Mr Brathwaite will lead Barbados in the absence of current West Indies Captain Mr Roston Chase, who has so far performed disappointingly with bat and ball at the Test match helm.

Of overriding interest for cricket-watchers will be whether younger players within and on the fringes of the West Indies team decisively put their hands up over the next few weeks.

We wait in hope.