ST JOHN’s, Antigua – Reigning Caribbean Twenty20 champions Guyana and star-studded Jamaica will clash in a mega feature encounter on the opening day of Caribbean Twenty20 2011 on January 10 at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua.
In the schedule announced by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) live on ABS TV in Antigua, there is also a big grudge match the following day with home team Leeward Islands clashing with Caribbean T20 2010 losing finalist Barbados at 20:00 h.
English T20 winners Hampshire Royals will kick off their Caribbean campaign when they lock horns with invitational side Canada in the curtain-raiser at 16:00 h, while the other English team, Somerset will play their first match on January 12 against the defending champions in another colossal matchup.
Leewards and Barbados are reigning WICB 50 Overs titleholders after a tense tied final in Jamaica last October.
There will be 12 preliminary matches in Antigua at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and eight preliminary matches in Barbados plus the semifinals, third-place playoff and the final at Kensington Oval.
Ten teams will participate in Caribbean Twenty20 2011 – seven from the Caribbean plus the two top English Twenty20 teams champions Hampshire Royals and losing finalists Somerset along with Canada, with the teams being divided into two groups from which the top two teams from each group will secure semi-final places.
The highest placed Caribbean team will represent the region in the Airtel Champions League and each day will see two matches, the first at 16:00 h (day/night) and the second at 20:00 h (night).
Guyana adorned themselves in glory when they defeated Barbados by one wicket in this year’s final at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago.

Group A: Guyana, Jamaica, Combined Campuses & Colleges, Windward Islands & Somerset
Group B: Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Leeward Islands, Canada & Hampshire

Full schedule:
ANTIGUA – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds
Monday January 10
Combined Campuses & Colleges v Windward Islands (16:00 h)
Jamaica v Guyana (20:00 h)
Tuesday January 11
Canada v Hampshire Royals (16:00 h)
Leeward Islands v Barbados (20:00 h)
Wednesday January 12
Somerset v Guyana (16:00 h)
Combined Campuses & Colleges v Jamaica (20:00 h)
Thursday January 13
Hampshire Royals v Barbados (16:00 h)
Leeward Islands v Trinidad & Tobago (20:00 h)
Friday January 14
Windward Islands v Somerset (16:00 h)
Combined Campuses & Colleges v Guyana (20:00 h)
Saturday January 15
Leeward Islands v Hampshire Royals (16:00 h)
Canada v Trinidad & Tobago (20:00 h)
BARBADOS – Kensington Oval
Tuesday January 18
Jamaica v Somerset (16:00 h)
Windward Islands v Guyana (20:00 h)
Wednesday January 19
Canada v Leeward Islands (16:00 h)
Trinidad & Tobago v Barbados (20:00 h)
Thursday January 20
Combined Campuses & Colleges v Somerset (16:00 h)
Windward Islands v Jamaica (20:00 h)
Friday January 21
Trinidad & Tobago v Hampshire Royals (16:00 h)
Canada v Barbados (20:00 h)
Saturday January 22
Semi Final 1: Group A Winner v Group B 2nd (16:00 h)
Semi Final 2: Group B Winner v Group A 2nd (20:00 h)
Sunday January 23
3rd place payoff: Semi-Final 1 Loser v Semi-Final 2 Loser (16:00 h)
FINAL: Semi-Final 1 Winner v Semi-Final 2 Winner (20:00 h)