Vernon A. Springer is the Cricket Operations Manager of the Leeward Island Cricket Board Ltd. He has encouraged The Montserrat Reporter and promised to keep it flooded with information about the only sport in the Caribbean that creates a livelihood for professionals who so desire.

This came after he directed a successful Under19 and Under17 championship tournament in Montserrat from the end of June into July just passed.

First started in 2013, the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere.

Combining broadcast and digital viewership, over 197 million fans watched the 2017 season to make it one of the fastest growing leagues in world cricket. Trinbago Knight Riders are the current Hero CPL champions and the other competing teams are Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots, St. Lucia Stars and Jamaica Tallawahs. The 2018 tournament will run from 8 August to 16 September.

From Gros Islet, St Lucia. 27 July 2018, Peter Miller, Head of PR and Communications, writes:

The Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) fixtures, venues and start times have been confirmed for the 2018 season which gets underway on the 8 August when defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders take on St Lucia Stars in Trinidad. The tournament will then visit Guyana, St Lucia, Jamaica, St Kitts, Barbados and the USA before returning to Trindiad for the final at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on 16 September.

The tournament will feature 34 matches between the six franchises with each team playing five home matches. The Jamaica Tallawahs will play three of their home games in Lauderhill, Florida meaning the CPL is returning to the USA for the third successive year.

The Hero CPL have signed a three-year agreement with Trinidad & Tobago to host the finals in the country following the successful final at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in 2017.

This year’s tournament will once again see a mix of the best global and Caribbean cricketing talent with the likes of Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, David Warner, Steve Smith and Brendon McCullum amongst those taking part.

Damien O’Donohoe, CEO of Hero CPL, said: “We are really excited about the 2018 edition of the tourn ament. We have gone from strength to strength since we first started in 2013 and we know that the sixth Hero CPL is going to be the biggest and best yet. The Biggest Party in Sport is coming and we can’t wait for it all to get started.”

Tickets are available at cplt20.com and from local box offices and they are selling fast.

See: CPL T20 fixtures