The 2014 Limacol Caribbean Premier League cricket competition will get underway on Friday and was launched in Grenada on Thursday.
Speaking at the launch, Damien O’Donohoe, CPL CEO, captains, coaches and legendary West Indies mentors, all spoke of their excitement for the competition, and promised an even bigger, better and more exciting spectacle than last year’s tournament, which thrilled sell-out crowds across the region, earning the nickname ‘The Biggest Party in Sport’.
Ahead of the start on Friday, a group of CPL stars, including Kieron Pollard, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle and Daniel Vettori, took part in a beach cricket match with local youngsters in Grenada.
The tournament bowls off on Friday at the National Cricket Stadium, Grenada, with the Guyana Amazon Warriors, captained by new West Indies Test skipper, Denesh Ramdin, and featuring global T20 stars, Sunil Narine and Lendl Simmons, taking on Antigua Hawksbills, led by Marlon Samuels, coached by Tim Nielson, former Australia coach, and mentored by West Indies legend, Sir Viv Richards.
On Saturday there will be an intriguing double-header. First up, legendary former West Indies openers, Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, go head-to-head as team mentors, as the Red Steel, led by Dwayne Bravo, face off against Kieron Pollard’s Barbados Tridents.
The opening weekend draws to a close with Chris Gayle’s defending champions, Jamaica Tallawahs, taking on West Indies T20 captain, Darren Sammy, and the St. Lucia Zouks.
O’Donohoe said:“After the huge success of the inaugural tournament, we’ve got a lot to live up to, but we’re confident this year will be even better. We’ve got some fantastic players, coaches and mentors on board, and you can expect bigger hitting, bigger crowds and an even bigger party!”
Chris Gayle, captain of Jamaica Tallawahs said: “There’s nothing better than playing in front of full crowds in the Caribbean. CPL is the Biggest Party in Sport and I’ve already seen how excited everybody is for the tournament to come to Grenada, so I can’t wait to give the fans something to cheer about.”
Robin Singh, Barbados Tridents Coach, said:“I’ve coached and played all over the world, but the atmosphere in the CPL is something else. The players are raring to go and we’re looking forward to putting on a good show for the people of the Caribbean.”
Sir Viv Richards, Antigua Hawksbills mentor, added:“Last year’s tournament was a massive success. The cricket was of a high quality, and it reignited local interest in the domestic game, so I’m looking forward to more of the same in 2014.”
The Limacol Caribbean Premier League runs from July 11- August 16, with 30 matches taking place over 37 days.
The final week of the tournament, in St. Kitts & Nevis, will also feature Beefy’s Bash, an all-star charity match featuring Sir Ian Botham, Brian Lara and Piers Morgan, as well as a concert by hip-hop star, Rick Ross.
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CPL 2014 launched on Thursday; first match on Friday
