First-class cricket will return to Grenada and Montserrat in 2005 when the Carib Beer-sponsored West Indies four-day competition is played. Since Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada on September 7, there was no major cricket match played there, but the return would be signalled when the Windward Islands oppose the Leeward Islands at the Tanteen Ground, outside St George’s on February 25-28. The island’s main cricket venue, the Queen’s Park Stadium, was badly damaged by the massive hurricane and is being rebuilt with the help of funding from Taiwan. In October, the West Indies limited overs competition was slated for Grenada, but the damage caused by Hurricane Ivan forced the organisers to move the matches. Montserrat has been hit with volcanic activity in recent years and had been unable to host major matches. Persons there would, however, get a glimpse of first-class action when Salem Park hosts the contest between the Leewards and Trinidad and Tobago on March 4-7. Next year’s tournament would signal a change in the format. Teams will play on a home and away basis, giving each side a minimum of ten matches, before the final. In previous years, sides played against each other once, as well as matches against the West Indies “B” team and visiting sides including England “A”, India “A”, Bangladesh “A” and Kenya over the past four years. The tournament starts on January 7 and runs until March 22. There will be 31 matches, climaxing with the final from March 18-22, between the top two teams. This would be the first time the final will be played over five days. The first round of round robin matches will be the Carib Beer League and the winner will receive US$12 500. The final will be the Carib Beer Challenge and the winner will collect US$5 000. Barbados are the defending champions after they beat Jamaica at North Stars, St Lucy in the final earlier this year. Reprinted from Nationnews.com