Local cricket is set for a big change after it was confirmed on Thursday that the Windward Islands Volcanoes professional cricket franchise will make Saint Lucia its official home starting October 1.
The franchise has previously been based in Dominica, Grenada and most recently St Vincent and the Grenadines. Now, it will operate from the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground for at least the next three years. Since 2023, the team has been located at Arnos Vale.
This move is being made official with a memorandum of understanding between Saint Lucia’s Department of Youth Development and Sports and the Windward Islands Cricket Board. The signing ceremony will be held at the DSCG Players Pavilion on Friday morning.
Wayne Auguste, who leads the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association, also serves as WICB vice-president along with Clement Marcellin, the president from Dominica. Last month, the franchise announced a head coaching vacancy after Kenroy Peters stepped down.
This move shows strong regional cooperation and confidence in Saint Lucia’s first-class facilities. Saint Lucia will soon welcome back former New Zealand batting coach Bob Carter, who will lead a high-level camp with the Windwards at DSCG. Carter, who was just named the new batting consultant for Cricket West Indies, ran a similar camp earlier this summer with the Saint Lucia Cricket High Performance Centre.
Having the Volcanoes based at Beausejour is a big boost for local cricket development. Fifteen contracted franchise players are expected to train daily in Gros Islet with the high-performance technical staff. Saint Lucian players like Ackeem Auguste, Keon Gaston, Kimani Melius, Noelle Leo and Shadrack Descarte will benefit from top-level training at home.
A full-time professional franchise in Saint Lucia will help create a clear development path, as young players and local coaches will get regular chances to train with top regional players and improve their skills.
Hosting the Volcanoes also strengthens Saint Lucia’s reputation as a top spot for regional and international cricket. A year-round professional team is expected to boost the local economy, attract sports tourists and keep the country’s main cricket facility busy.
