Even with Jamaica Scorpions holding home advantage, few expected two weeks ago that with one game remaining in the first phase of the revamped West Indies Championship four-day cricket tournament they would be 9.8 points ahead of Barbados Pride.

Truthfully, in recent seasons there has been very little to suggest the Jamaicans had the wherewithal to perform as they did in beating powerful Barbados by seven wickets in the opening game at Chedwin Park last week.

Barbados Pride — a close second in the regional points standing last year — recovered well to hold the upper hand and gain most points in the high-scoring, drawn second match at Sabina Park this week.

However, they have an uphill task in the do-or-die third match starting Sunday, also at Sabina, to ensure they overturn the points deficit and advance to the next phase.

The situation underlines the inadequacies of the 2026 first-class structure, which has been radically shortened because of the need for cash-strapped Cricket West Indies (CWI) to cut costs.

Unlike last season when eight teams played at least seven games each, the top two in this six-team tournament will play no more than five games. The bottom three teams will play no more than thrice.

After the third round of four-day regional matches, starting Sunday in Antigua and Jamaica, the top team will advance automatically to a grand final starting May 17 in Antigua.

The second and third placed teams will meet in a semi-final, also in Antigua.

To ensure match fitness, the first finalist will have a scheduled four-day contest against the Antigua-based West Indies Academy at the same time as the semi-final match.

As the situation now stands, defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles, with 43.2 points, are atop the regional table, having won both their games so far.

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force are next with 37 points, Jamaica Scorpions are on 29.6, Barbados Pride, 19.8; Leeward Islands Hurricanes, 10.8; and Windward Islands Volcanoes, 7.6.

To the dismay of the Caribbean cricket fraternity, the second-round game between Trinidad and Tobago and Leeward Islands at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua was abandoned on the third day because match officials deemed the pitch “dangerous” to life and limb.

That decision came after Leewards Islands lower-order batsman Mr Jeremiah Louis was hit on the head by a steeply lifting length delivery from West Indies fast bowler Mr Jayden Seales. While that last action triggered the decision, it’s clear there were earlier worrying signs of unreasonably unpredictable bounce.

It’s no secret that, apart from players and match officials, the pitch is perhaps the most important element in any cricket match. The CWI must make sure that this obvious failure to pay utmost attention to detail in preparing the playing area is not repeated.

On the plus side, the cricket fraternity had reason to be pleased with individual performances from batsmen in particular over the first two rounds of the tournament.

There were six centuries in those first two Jamaica/Barbados contests with 23-year-old Barbadian Mr Kevin Wickham — who has turned heads since his teenage years — leading the way with three hundreds in a row.

In Antigua a first-round double century from Trinidad and Tobago’s Mr Amir Jangoo was undoubtedly the highlight.

Among bowlers, Guyana’s left-arm spinner Mr Gudakesh Motie has been the standout thus far.

We hope for so much more in this inadequately short first-class season.