Anticipation is high ahead of the fifth season of Saint Lucia Premier League T20 cricket. Although the format is familiar, SPL founder and chief executive officer Hassan Euristee says that with increased support from the Government of Saint Lucia, the league will level up this year.
The National Lotteries Authority is the main sponsor this year, with improved player remuneration the main area of support, bringing the competition one step closer to a full professional setup.
“As you know SPL, from inception, 2017, was the first ever semi-professional sports tournament of any kind in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States,” Euristee noted.
“So coming into SPL 5 2025, and having to see that the players will be making substantial amounts of money, that when they finish the tournament they could say, you know, let me go and get my own cricket gears, this brings a lot of excitement.
“One of the owners said, ‘The players would be making more money than me!’ And stuff like that I like to hear, because we have the backing, National Lotteries Authority, powered by the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, we have that extra backing to further develop the cricket as reward for SPL bringing excitement to cricket when cricket was down in Saint Lucia.”
Organisers say that players will make up to eight times what they would have in previous years.
Six teams will vie for the title, with Avatar Micoud Eagles aiming to repeat as champions. Babonneau Leatherbacks come into the tournament in replacement of Laborie, whilst Central Castries City Blasters, South Castries Lions, Gros Islet Knights, Soufriere Stumpers, Choiseul Craftmasters, and Mon Repos Pioneers will all be keen to lift this year’s trophy.
For 2025, there will be three additional venues, taking the tournament around the island. Following the opener at MPP, games will also be contested at Gros Islet Playing Field, Philip Marcellin Ground in Vieux Fort, and La Fargue Playing Field in Choiseul. The five-week series will include 32 matches.
The move towards increasing compensation for local cricketers comes just over a year after the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League played its first game, also at Mindoo Phillip Park.
Minister for Youth Development and Sports, Kenson Casimir, pointed to this as the latest effort to raise the standard of the domestic game, noting that discussions with SPL began in earnest after Saint Lucia hosted the ICC World Cup last year.
SPL, said the minister, is meant to operate alongside the Saint Lucia Cricket High Performance Centre to provide outlets for the development of the nation’s outstanding athletes.
Good initiative ! The dough is a guaranteed motivator.