View source for West Indies Championship

{{short description|Domestic cricket tournament}}
{{For|the most recent season of the competition|2023–24 West Indies Championship}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox cricket tournament main
| name = Regional Four Day Competition
| image =West_Indies_Championship_Logo.png 
| imagesize =
| caption =
| country = {{Flag|West Indies}}
| administrator = [[Cricket West Indies]] (CWI)
| cricket format = [[First Class Cricket|First-class]] (4-day)
| first = 1965–66
| last =[[2023–24 West Indies Championship|2023–24]]
| tournament format = Round robin, semi-finals
| participants = 8
| champions = [[Guyana national cricket  team|Guyana]] – 13 titles (plus 1 shared)<ref>{{cite news |title=Guyana Harpy Eagles Triump in West Indies Championship |url=https://www.windiescricket.com/news/guyana-harpy-eagles-triumph-in-west-indies-championship/ |access-date=21 April 2024 |work=Windies}}</ref>
| most successful = [[Barbados national cricket team|Barbados]] – 23 titles (plus 1 shared)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://barbadostoday.bb/2022/06/11/more-success-for-barbados-and-brathwaite/|title=More success for Barbados and Brathwaite|date=11 June 2022|publisher=Barbados Today|website=barbadostoday.bb}}</ref>
| qualification =
| most runs = [[Devon Smith]] ([[Windward Islands national cricket team|Windward Islands]]) – 11,321<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.windiescricket.com/news/wichamps-devon-smith-churning-out-runs-popcorn-machine/|title=#WICHAMPS: DEVON SMITH CHURNING OUT RUNS LIKE A POPCORN MACHINE|date=26 February 2020|publisher=SportsMax|website=sportsmax.tv}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.searchlight.vc/sports/2021/01/29/devon-smith-embraces-new-role/#:~:text=To%20his%20name%2C%20Smith's%20average,in%20regional%20first%20class%20cricket.|title=Devon Smith embraces new role|date=29 January 2021|publisher=[[Searchlight (newspaper)|Searchlight]]|website=searchlight.vc}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.windiescricket.com/players/ds-smith-2689/|title=Devon Smith|publisher=[[Cricket West Indies]]|website=windiescricket.com}}</ref>
| most wickets = [[Veerasammy Permaul]] ([[Guyana national cricket team|Guyana]]) – 526<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sportsmax.tv/cricket/cricket-windies/item/116088-permaul-becomes-leading-wicket-taker-in-regional-first-class-cricket|title=Permaul becomes leading wicket-taker in regional first-class cricket|date=17 March 2023|publisher=SportsMax|website=sportsmax.tv}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.windiescricket.com/players/veerasammy-permaul-4105/|title=Veerasammy Permaul|publisher=[[Cricket West Indies]]|website=windiescricket.com}}</ref>
| current = [[2024–25 West Indies Championship]]
|next=[[2024–25 West Indies Championship|2024–25]]
}}

The '''Regional Four Day Competition''',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Seasons/WI/2008-09_WI_Regional_Four_Day_Competition_2008-09.html|title=Regional Four Day Competition 2008/09|access-date=26 October 2017|archive-date=10 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010052146/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Seasons/WI/2008-09_WI_Regional_Four_Day_Competition_2008-09.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> formerly known as the '''Shell Shield, Red Stripe, Busta''' and '''Carib Beer Cup''', is the [[West Indian cricket team|West Indies]]'s [[First Class Cricket|first-class]] [[cricket]] competition that's run by [[Cricket West Indies]]. In the 2013–2014 season the winner of the tournament was awarded the WICB President's Trophy while the winners of the knockout competition were awarded the [[George Headley]]/[[Everton Weekes]] trophy.<ref name="WICB 4 day media release"/> In a few previous seasons the winners of the tournament were awarded the Headley/Weekes trophy. On from the 2016–17 season, the Competition was sponsored by [[Digicel]] and was known as the '''Digicel Four Day Championship'''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 October 2017 |title=Opportunity knocks says Adams ahead of Digicel 4-Day Tournament |url=https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/opportunity-knocks-says-adams-ahead-digicel-4-day-tournament |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=Loop News |language=en}}</ref> Since 2019–20, the competition has been renamed as the '''West Indies Championship'''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.windiescricket.com/news/wichamps-west-indies-championship-bowls-thursday-9th-jan/|title=#WICHAMPS: WEST INDIES CHAMPIONSHIP BOWLS OFF ON THURSDAY 9TH JAN|date=8 January 2020|publisher=[[Cricket West Indies]]|website=windiescricket.com}}</ref>

The competition is contested between seven Caribbean teams and, on occasion, touring sides from other countries. Of these sides four of them, [[Barbados national cricket team|Barbados]], [[Guyana national cricket team|Guyana]], [[Jamaica national cricket team|Jamaica]] and [[Trinidad and Tobago national cricket team|Trinidad and Tobago]], come from solitary nations. While two other teams, the [[Leeward Islands cricket team|Leeward Islands]] and the [[Windward Islands cricket team|Windward Islands]], previously competed as the [[Combined Islands cricket team|Combined Islands]], now each being from a myriad of nations. Since the 2007–08 season a [[Combined Campuses and Colleges cricket team]] (CCC cricket team) were included in the competition. However, in July 2014 the WICB announced that the CCC cricket team was to be excluded from the upcoming 2014-15 Regional Four Day competition. This came as a series of changes adopted based on the recommendations made in a March 2014 report presented by [[Richard Pybus]], WICB's then director of cricket.<ref name="CCC excluded">{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/combined-campuses-and-colleges-excluded-from-wi-first-class-762707|title=Combined Campuses and Colleges excluded from WI first-class|publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

The current structure of the tournament, since the 2014–15 season is a double round-robin league system with the team earning the most points being declared the winner. Prior to this the tournament didn't comprise a knock out stage so teams could potentially both win the tournament. The competition later consisted of a single round-robin league followed by semi-finals and a final. The current champions are Guyana. Barbados have won the most titles with twenty-two outright (and one shared), while Jamaica and Guyana have won the most consecutive titles (five).

== Competing teams ==

The following teams have competed in every tournament since the 1981–82 season:
* [[Barbados national cricket team|Barbados]] (now going by the franchise name Barbados Pride)<ref name="Jamaica Franchise v Leeward Islands Hurricanes">{{Cite web|url=http://www.iriefm.net/news/sports/jamaica-franchise-home-against-leeward-island-hurricanes-wicb-pcl-action|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207163235/http://www.iriefm.net/news/sports/jamaica-franchise-home-against-leeward-island-hurricanes-wicb-pcl-action|url-status=dead|title=Jamaica Franchise at home against Leeward Islands Hurricanes|archive-date=7 December 2014}}</ref>
* [[Guyana national cricket team|Guyana]] (now going by the franchise name Guyana Harpy Eagles)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-05 |title=GCB renames franchise to Guyana Harpy Eagles |url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2022/01/05/sports/gcb-renames-franchise-to-guyana-harpy-eagles/ |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=Stabroek News |language=en-us}}</ref>
* [[Jamaica national cricket team|Jamaica]] (now going by the franchise name Jamaica Scorpions)<ref name="Jamaica Scorpions franchise name">{{cite news | url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/Jamaica-Scorpions-is-said-to-be-name-of-cricket-franchise_18484558 | title=Jamaica Scorpions is said to be name of cricket franchise | date=28 February 2015 | newspaper=Jamaica Observer | first=Sanjay | last=Myers | access-date=20 May 2020 }}</ref>
* [[Leeward Islands cricket team|Leeward Islands]] (now going by the franchise name Leeward Islands Hurricanes)<ref name="Jamaica Franchise v Leeward Islands Hurricanes"/>
* [[Trinidad and Tobago national cricket team|Trinidad and Tobago]] (now going by the franchise name Trinidad and Tobago Red Force)<ref name="Jamaica Franchise v Leeward Islands Hurricanes"/>
* [[Windward Islands cricket team|Windward Islands]] (now going by the franchise name Windward Islands Volcanoes)<ref name="Jamaica Franchise v Leeward Islands Hurricanes"/>

The following teams have also made appearances in the competition:
* [[Combined Islands cricket team|Combined Islands]] – 1965–66 to 1980–81<ref>{{Cite web |last=Seymour |first=Roger |date=2016-05-15 |title=Who won the 1975 Shell Shield? |url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2016/05/15/features/won-1975-shell-shield/ |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=Stabroek News |language=en-us}}</ref>
* [[England Lions cricket team|England Lions]] – 2000–01 (as England A), 2010–11<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 July 2017 |title=England Lions to tour West Indies next year |url=http://www.wiplayers.com/england-lions-to-tour-west-indies-next-year/ |access-date=2023-04-03 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* [[West Indies B cricket team|West Indies B]] – 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04
* [[Bangladesh A cricket team|Bangladesh A]] – 2001–02<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Shahryar |date=2002-03-09 |title=Busta Cup boosts Mazharul |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23177216/busta-cup-boosts-mazharul |access-date=2023-04-03 |publisher=ESPN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-01-13 |title=Miandad tipped to replace Chappell |url=http://beta.dawn.com/news/14765/miandad-tipped-to-replace-chappell |access-date=2023-04-03 |work=Dawn|location=Pakistan |language=en}}</ref>
* [[India A cricket team|India A]] – 2002–03<ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-02-01 |title=Laxman India A skipper for Busta Cup series |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cricket/laxman-india-a-skipper-for-busta-cup-series/articleshow/36101481.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-04-03 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
* [[Kenya national cricket team|Kenya]] – 2003–04<ref>{{Cite news |date=2004-01-04 |title=Kenya join Caribbean competition |language=en-GB |publisher=[[BBC]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/3367151.stm |access-date=2023-04-03}}</ref>
* [[Combined Campuses and Colleges cricket team|Combined Campuses and Colleges]] – 2007–08 to 2013-14<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 July 2014 |title=Combined Campuses and Colleges excluded from WI first-class |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/combined-campuses-and-colleges-excluded-from-wi-first-class-762707 |access-date=2023-04-03 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}}</ref> and from 2023 to present<ref>{{Cite web |title=CWI confirms two new teams in the West Indies Championship for 2024 {{!}} Windies Cricket news |url=https://www.windiescricket.com/news/CWIconfirmstwonewteamsintheWestIndiesChampionshipfor2024/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=Windies}}</ref>
* [[West Indies Academy]] – since 2023<ref>{{Cite web |title=CWI confirms two new teams in the West Indies Championship for 2024 {{!}} Windies Cricket news |url=https://www.windiescricket.com/news/CWIconfirmstwonewteamsintheWestIndiesChampionshipfor2024/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=Windies}}</ref>

== Origins ==
First-class cricket has been played in the West Indies since 1865, when Barbados beat Demerara, later known as British Guiana and now Guyana, at the [[Garrison Savannah Racetrack|Garrison Savannah]] in [[Bridgetown]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 March 2006 |title=The jewel of the Caribbean |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/the-jewel-of-the-caribbean-240899 |access-date=2023-04-03 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}}</ref> During 1891 three teams, namely Barbados, British Guiana and Trinidad and Tobago, took part in the inaugural [[Inter-Colonial Tournament]] held at the Barbados' [[Bay Pasture]], with Barbados eventually defeating British Guiana in the final by an innings and 55 runs.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 February 2014 |title='Red Force' to face Barbados in final today for Clive Lloyd Trophy |url=https://guyanachronicle.com/2014/02/14/red-force-to-face-barbados-in-final-today-for-clive-lloyd-trophy/ |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=Guyana Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref> All three teams won the tournament on more than five occasions. When Jamaica attained first-class status, they only played 22 games in their first 30 years as a cricketing side, usually playing touring teams from England.  After the West Indies were awarded [[Test cricket|Test status]] in 1928, the number of games played by Jamaica increased.

During [[World War II]], there was no official Inter-Colonial tournament, but matches were still played between the three teams who had competed for it, and this continued after the war, but now also including Jamaica. In 1956, British Guiana hosted a four-team knock-out tournament, which was repeated five years later but now with the Combined Islands joining in. The final unofficial tournament (which does not appear on records in [[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack]] or [[Cricinfo]]) was held in 1964, with Barbados, British Guiana, Jamaica and Trinidad competing in a league, which British Guiana won.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

== History of the competition ==
The regular competition began in the [[1965–66 West Indian cricket season|1965–66 season]], named the '''Shell Shield''' (after sponsors [[Royal Dutch Shell]]), and the five teams that had contested the 1961 knock-out competed in a [[Round-robin tournament|round-robin]] league, with two home matches and two away matches for each team.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.scoreline.org/history-of-first-class-cricket/|title=History of First Class Cricket &#124;|first=Abid Ali|last=Kazi|date=24 December 2015}}</ref> This format and name remained until [[1981–82 West Indian cricket season|1981–82]], when the Combined Islands were split up into the Leeward and Windward Islands by the West Indies Cricket Board. This meant that the season was lengthened to five games per side. Barbados dominated from the outset, with nine titles won from 1965–66 to [[1979–80 West Indian cricket season|1979–80]]. The Combined Islands won their first title in [[1980–81 West Indian cricket season|1980–81]] after four runners-up spots in the preceding six seasons – becoming the last of the five teams to win a title.

Barbados won three more titles before the tournament was modified in [[1986–87 West Indian cricket season|the 1986–87 season]]. Where instead of a round-robin league, there were now two round-robin groups, determined by geography. The league structure was though back into place for the next season. As well the contest was then and there renamed as the '''Red Stripe Cup''' with its main sponsor being the Jamaican beer [[Red Stripe]].<ref name="auto"/> Leeward Islands won their first ever title in [[1989–90 West Indian cricket season|1989–90]], winning all five games in the league, but Barbados were back on top for the following season. No team managed to win back to back titles for the next fourteen seasons, though the Leeward Islands and Barbados exchanged the trophy between [[1993–94 West Indian cricket season|1993–94]] and [[1998–99 West Indian cricket season|1998–99]]. The WICB tinkered with the competition's formats during this period of time. Where in [[1995–96 West Indian cricket season|1995–96]] a final match was played, while the [[1996–97 West Indian cricket season|1996–97]] season saw a home-and-away round-robin format of ten matches in total. At this seasons' close, Red Stripe withdrew as a sponsor. The regional tournament was eventually renamed the '''President's Cup''' and reduced to five matches a team once again.<ref name="auto"/> On from the 1998–99 season, Trinidadian soft drink Busta became the new title sponsor with the newly named '''Busta Cup''', having a semi-final and a final appended after the round-robin stage.<ref name="auto"/>

Barbados and Jamaica went on to both dominate the 2000s. Barbados in 2004 became the first team to successfully defend a first class title since Jamaica in 1989. These said sides have respectively won fourteen out of the first fifteen first class titles of the 21st century. The 2000s saw teams from other nations take part, as in [[England A cricket team|England A]], [[Bangladesh A cricket team|Bangladesh A]], [[India A cricket team|India A]] and [[Kenya national cricket team|Kenya]]. Along with that two scholastic sides, [[West Indies B cricket team|West Indies B]] and the [[Combined Campuses and Colleges cricket team|Combined Campuses and Colleges]] also featured in the competition. In 2002 [[Carib Brewery]] became the title sponsor. So the competition became known as the '''Carib Beer Cup''' for the next six years until Carib's sponsorship ended in 2008/09.<ref name="WICB to underwrite 2009 season">{{Cite web|url=http://jamaica-star.com/thestar/20081229/sports/sports5.html|title=WICB to underwrite 2009 first-class season|access-date=13 October 2014|archive-date=2 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090102011700/http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/20081229/sports/sports5.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The semi-finals were removed for the [[2004–05 West Indian cricket season|2004–05]] as was the West Indies B team with the tournament returning to a six-team league. This now consisted of ten home and away matches for each side with a final played between the top two teams. In the 2005–06 season, the league returned to one round-robin series where teams each play five games before the top two sides meet in the final.<ref name="auto" />

Since 2009 it has been entitled as the '''Regional Four Day Competition''' with the winning side lofting the Headley-Weekes Trophy''',''' named after both '''[[George Headley]]''' and '''[[Everton Weekes]]'''.<ref name="WICB to fund 2009 competition">{{Cite web|url=http://www.windiescricket.com/node/4988|title=WICB to fund 2009 Regional 4-Day competition|access-date=13 October 2014|archive-date=18 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018040737/http://www.windiescricket.com/node/4988|url-status=dead}}</ref> Between 2008 and 2012, Jamaica won the competition for a record five times in a row. The only previous time a team had won the record five times in a row was between 1976 and 1980 when Barbados won the title; however, for that streak, the first title in 1976 was shared between Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago whereas for Jamaica's 2008-2012 streak the title was never shared with any other team.<ref name="perfect record for Jamaica">{{Cite web|url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120422/sports/sports4.html|title=A perfect record for Jamaica|date=22 April 2012|website=jamaica-gleaner.com}}</ref><ref name="WIPA president hail's Jamaica's five-peat">{{Cite web|url=http://go-jamaica.com/pressrelease/item.php?id=480|title=WIPA President hails Historic Jamaica Five-Peat – Firstlook – Go-Jamaica|website=go-jamaica.com}}</ref>

In 2014, the WICB announced major structural changes to the first-class cricket competition starting with the exclusion of the Combined Campuses and Colleges team from the competition (in which it had participated since 2007–08). Additionally, it was announced that a franchise system was to be introduced for first-class cricket, similar to that of the [[Caribbean Premier League]], with the six territorial teams being able to select players from all over the region and possibly from overseas. The new franchises would be owned by the territorial boards themselves and the teams would still retain their traditional territorial names. A draft system was also introduced, under which each of the territorial boards will be allowed to retain and contract 10 players, with the rest of the region's player pool going into a player draft for the teams to complete their 15-player squads.<ref name="WICB to shake up first-class structure">{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/wicb-to-shake-up-first-class-structure-765417|title=WICB to shake up first-class structure|publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> The regional four-day competition itself was extended to a double round-robin format and also became part of the WICB's new '''Professional Cricket League''', which also included the [[Regional Super50|NAGICO Super50]]. The newly extended Regional Four Day Competition will be played on a home and away basis over ten rounds from 14 November 2014 to 23 March 2015.<ref name="PCL schedule">{{Cite web|url=http://www.windiescricket.com/news/professional-cricket-league-schedule|title=Professional Cricket League Schedule}}</ref>

'''Since 2019–20, the competition has been renamed as the West Indies Championship'''.

== Structure ==
From the [[2010–11 Regional Four Day Competition|2010–11]] season until the start of the Professional Cricket League the teams have played each other once in a [[Round-robin tournament|double round-robin]] format followed by semi-finals which are contested between the top four teams of the league stage.

Points were awarded as follows:

* Outright win – 12
* Loser if 1st Innings lead obtained – 4
* Loser if tie on 1st Innings – 3
* Loser if 1st Innings also lost – 0
* Tie – 8

Incomplete Match

* 1st Innings lead – 6
* 1st Innings loss – 3
* Tie on 1st innings – 4

Score Equal in a Drawn Match

* Team batting on the 4th innings – 8
* Team fielding on the 4th innings if that team has lead on 1st inning – 6
* If scores tied on 1st innings – 4
* If team has lost on 1st innings – 3

Abandoned Match

In the event of a match being abandoned without any play having taken place, or in the event of there being no 1st innings decision, three points each.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/regional-4-day-12/engine/series/540546.html?view=pointstable|title=Regional Four Day Competition, 2011/12 / Points table
| publisher= ESPNcricinfo| access-date= 22 April 2012}}</ref>

=== Professional Cricket League era ===

Since the [[2014–15 Regional Four Day Competition|2014–15]] season when Professional Cricket League started the teams have played each other twice in a [[Round-robin tournament|round-robin]] with the team having the most points at the end of the League being awarded the Championship and the Headley/Weekes Trophy.<ref name= "Jaguars, Pride renew rivalry">{{Cite web|url=http://cricketwestindies.org/index.php/2017/11/30/jaguars-pride-renew-long-standing-rivalry/|title=Jaguars, Pride renew long-standing rivalry}}</ref>

Points are now awarded similarly to the 2010/11-2014/15 era except that now the concept for points for first innings lead has been abandoned and replaced with bonus points for batting (1 point being awarded in intervals of 50 runs for total scores over 200 for the first 110 overs and up to a maximum of 5 points), bowling (1 point being awarded in intervals of 2 wickets for 3 wickets or more taken in a team's innings for the first 110 overs and up to a maximum of 3 points) and for pace bowling (0.2 points for each wicket taken by designated pace bowlers). Tied matches are now awarded 6 points instead of 8 points and the range of points awarded for drawn matches has been replaced by each team getting 3 points plus the bonus points. For abandoned matches, the points awarded to each team has been reduced from 3 to 1, except where a match is abandoned due to a dangerous pitch, in which case the visiting team are awarded 12 points (as would happen with an outright win).

===West Indies Championship===
The previous edition of the tournament was known as the Regional Four Day Competition before being rebranded by CWI.
Since 2019–20, the competition has been renamed as the West Indies Championship.

== Winners ==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Season !! Team
|-
 || [[1965–66 West Indian cricket season|1965–66]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1966–67 West Indian cricket season|1966–67]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1967–68 West Indian cricket season|1967–68]] || No competition
|-
 || [[1968–69 West Indian cricket season|1968–69]] || [[Jamaica cricket team|Jamaica]]
|-
 || [[1969–70 West Indian cricket season|1969–70]] || [[Trinidad and Tobago cricket team|Trinidad and Tobago]]
|-
 || [[1970–71 West Indian cricket season|1970–71]] || [[Trinidad and Tobago cricket team|Trinidad and Tobago]]
|-
 || [[1971–72 West Indian cricket season|1971–72]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1972–73 West Indian cricket season|1972–73]] || [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
 || [[1973–74 West Indian cricket season|1973–74]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1974–75 West Indian cricket season|1974–75]] || [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
 || [[1975–76 West Indian cricket season|1975–76]] || [[Trinidad and Tobago cricket team|Trinidad and Tobago]] shared with [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1976–77 West Indian cricket season|1976–77]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1977–78 West Indian cricket season|1977–78]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1978–79 West Indian cricket season|1978–79]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1979–80 West Indian cricket season|1979–80]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1980–81 West Indian cricket season|1980–81]] || [[Combined Islands cricket team|Combined Islands]]
|-
 || [[1981–82 West Indian cricket season|1981–82]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1982–83 West Indian cricket season|1982–83]] || [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
 || [[1983–84 West Indian cricket season|1983–84]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1984–85 West Indian cricket season|1984–85]] || [[Trinidad and Tobago cricket team|Trinidad and Tobago]]
|-
 || [[1985–86 West Indian cricket season|1985–86]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1986–87 West Indian cricket season|1986–87]] || [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
 || [[1987–88 West Indian cricket season|1987–88]] || [[Jamaica cricket team|Jamaica]]
|-
 || [[1988–89 West Indian cricket season|1988–89]] || [[Jamaica cricket team|Jamaica]]
|-
 || [[1989–90 West Indian cricket season|1989–90]] || [[Leeward Islands cricket team|Leeward Islands]]
|-
 || [[1990–91 West Indian cricket season|1990–91]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1991–92 West Indian cricket season|1991–92]] || [[Jamaica cricket team|Jamaica]]
|-
 || [[1992–93 West Indian cricket season|1992–93]] || [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
 || [[1993–94 West Indian cricket season|1993–94]] || [[Leeward Islands cricket team|Leeward Islands]]
|-
 || [[1994–95 West Indian cricket season|1994–95]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1995–96 West Indian cricket season|1995–96]] || [[Leeward Islands cricket team|Leeward Islands]]
|-
 || [[1996–97 West Indian cricket season|1996–97]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1997–98 West Indian cricket season|1997–98]] || [[Leeward Islands cricket team|Leeward Islands]] shared with [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
 || [[1998–99 West Indian cricket season|1998–99]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[1999-2000 West Indian cricket season|1999–2000]] || [[Jamaica cricket team|Jamaica]]
|-
 || [[2000–01 West Indian cricket season|2000–01]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[2001–02 West Indian cricket season|2001–02]] || [[Jamaica cricket team|Jamaica]]
|-
 || [[2002–03 West Indian cricket season|2002–03]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[2003–04 West Indian cricket season|2003–04]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[2004–05 West Indian cricket season|2004–05]] || [[Jamaica cricket team|Jamaica]]
|-
 || [[2005–06 West Indian cricket season|2005–06]] || [[Trinidad and Tobago cricket team|Trinidad and Tobago]]
|-
 || [[2006–07 West Indian cricket season|2006–07]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[2007–08 West Indian cricket season|2007–08]]|| [[Jamaica cricket team|Jamaica]]
|-
 || [[2008–09 Regional Four Day Competition|2008–09]] || [[Jamaica cricket team|Jamaica]]
|-
 || [[2009–10 Regional Four Day Competition|2009–10]] || [[Jamaica cricket team|Jamaica]]
|-
 || [[2010–11 Regional Four Day Competition|2010–11]] || [[Jamaica cricket team|Jamaica]]
|-
 || [[2011–12 Regional Four Day Competition|2011–12]] || [[Jamaica cricket team|Jamaica]]
|-
 || [[2012–13 Regional Four Day Competition|2012–13]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[2013–14 Regional Four Day Competition|2013–14]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[2014–15 Regional Four Day Competition|2014–15]] || [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
 || [[2015–16 Regional Four Day Competition|2015–16]] || [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
 || [[2016–17 Regional Four Day Competition|2016–17]] || [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
 || [[2017–18 Regional Four Day Competition|2017–18]] || [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
 || [[2018–19 Regional Four Day Competition|2018–19]] || [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
 || [[2019–20 West Indies Championship|2019–20]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[2021–22 West Indies Championship|2021–22]] || [[Barbados cricket team|Barbados]]
|-
 || [[2022–23 West Indies Championship|2022–23]] || [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
 || [[2023–24 West Indies Championship|2023–24]] || [[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|-
|[[2024–25 West Indies Championship|2024–25]]
|[[Guyana cricket team|Guyana]]
|}

The above winners are of the league phase, since 2000/01 there has been a knock-out tournament (the Busta International Shield in 2000/01; the Busta International Shield/International Trophy in 2001/02; the Carib Beer International Trophy from 2002/03 to 2004/05; the Carib Beer International Challenge from 2005/06 to 2006/07 and the Carib Beer Challenge in 2007/08) with qualification based on league position. In 2000/01 four teams progressed to the knockout phase with '''Jamaica''' beating the league winner, Barbados in the first semi-final before going on to win the final against Guyana by first innings points in a drawn match. This form was reversed in the 2001/02 knockout competition when '''Guyana''' beat Jamaica in the final on first innings points in a drawn match. For the next three seasons (2002/03, 2003/04 and 2004/05) the league winners were also the winners of the knockout competitions, with '''Barbados''' beating Jamaica in the final by 7 wickets in 2002/03; '''Barbados''' beating Jamaica again in 2003/04 (by 84 runs) and '''Jamaica''' beating the Leeward Islands by 8 wickets in 2004/05. In 2004/05 however, only the top two teams from the league stage progressed to the knock-out competition. In 2005/06 four teams again progressed to the knock-out phase, where initial league winners '''Trinidad and Tobago''' won the final against Barbados. In 2006/07 only the top two teams qualified, Barbados (as league champions) and Trinidad and Tobago (as league runners-up). The league form was reversed as '''Trinidad and Tobago''' defended their title with a 49 run win. Trinidad and Tobago reached their third successive final in 2007/08, this time losing to '''Jamaica'''. In 2008/09 the knock-out Carib Beer Challenge was discontinued. In 2013/14 a knock-out tournament was reintroduced, with the top four teams from the league competition qualifying. Barbados' league form was reversed as '''Jamaica''' won the knock-out competition (and the Headley/Weekes trophy) against the Windward Islands in the final.<ref name="WICB 4 day media release">{{Cite web|url=http://www.windiescricket.com/news/wicb-statement-about-title-winners|title=WICB statement about the 2013-14 title winners}}</ref>

== Number of wins by team (since 1965–66) ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Team
! Wins
|-
| Barbados<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-11 |title=More success for Barbados and Brathwaite |url=https://barbadostoday.bb/2022/06/11/more-success-for-barbados-and-brathwaite/ |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=Barbados Today |language=en-US}}</ref>|| 23 (plus 1 shared)
|-
| Guyana  || 13 (plus 1 shared)
|-
| Jamaica  || 12
|-
| Trinidad and Tobago  || 4 (plus 1 shared)
|-
| Leeward Islands  || 3 (plus 1 shared)
|-
| Combined Islands  || 1
|}

==Most successful captains==
{| class="wikitable"
! Captain
! Wins
|-
| [[Leon Johnson (cricketer)|Leon Johnson]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-06 |title=Leon Johnson: Outstanding leader, talented batsman, ambassador of the game |url=https://newsroom.gy/2023/03/06/leon-johnson-outstanding-leader-talented-batsman-ambassador-of-the-game/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=News Room Guyana |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2 April 2023 |title=Eagles snatch title |url=https://trinidadexpress.com/sports/regional/eagles-snatch-title/article_bd40efa0-d0ed-11ed-b75e-6b4d9973b1bf.html |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=[[Trinidad Express Newspapers]] |language=en}}</ref>
| 6 (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023) 
|-
| [[Tamar Lambert]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Ryon |date=2012-04-19 |title=TAMAR LAMBERT: Captain marvellous |url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120419/lead/lead5.html |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=jamaica-gleaner.com |publisher=[[Jamaica Gleaner]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=9 December 2016 |title=I will cherish this moment! |url=http://www.wiplayers.com/i-will-cherish-this-moment/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=wiplayers.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>
| 6 (2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
|-
| [[David Holford]]<ref name=BajanCaps /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-04 |title=David Holford was an outstanding captain |url=https://barbadostoday.bb/2022/06/04/david-holford-was-an-outstanding-captain/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=Barbados Today |language=en-US}}</ref>
| 5 (1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979)
|-
| [[Kraigg Brathwaite]]<ref name=BajanCaps>{{Cite web|date=2022-06-11|title=More success for Barbados and Brathwaite|url=https://barbadostoday.bb/2022/06/11/more-success-for-barbados-and-brathwaite/|access-date=2023-04-02 |website=barbadostoday.bb|language=en-US}}</ref>
| 3 (2014, 2020, 2022)
|-
| [[Courtney Browne]]<ref name=BajanCaps /><ref name=Captains>{{Cite web |last=Devers |first=Sean |date=2017-04-29 |title=Johnson joins Tamar Lambert as only Captains with 3 Regional FC titles in a row |url=https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2017/04/29/johnson-joins-tamar-lambert-as-only-captains-with-3-regional-fc-titles-in-a-row/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=Kaieteur News |language=en-US}}</ref>
| 3 (1995, 2003, 2004)
|-
| [[Joey Carew]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cozier |first=Tony |date=2011-01-16 |title=Adieu Joey Carew |url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2011/01/16/sports/cricket/adieu-joey-carew/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=Stabroek News |language=en-us}}</ref>
| 2 (1970, 1971)
|-
| [[Roger Harper]]<ref name=Captains />
| 2 (1987, 1993)
|-
| [[Carl Hooper]]<ref name=Captains />
| 2 (1998, 2002)
|-
| [[Clive Lloyd]]<ref name=Captains />
| 2 (1975, 1983)
|-
| [[Viv Richards]]<ref name=Captains /> 
| 2 (1981, 1990)
|-
| [[Garfield Sobers]]<ref name=Captains />
| 2 (1966, 1967)
|-
| [[Marlon Tucker]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Becca |first=Tony |date=25 February 2018 |title=Tony Becca {{!}} Remembering Marlon Tucker |url=https://www.wiplayers.com/tony-becca-remembering-marlon-tucker/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=wiplayers.com |publisher=[[Jamaica Gleaner]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>
| 2 (1988, 1989) 
|}

== References ==

{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/westindies/content/story/313447.html A brief history of West Indies domestic cricket]
* [https://cricketarchive.com CricketArchive]
* [https://www.windiescricket.com/ Official site]

{{West Indies first class cricket teams}}
{{First-class Cricket Domestic Competitions}}
{{Cricket in the West Indies}}
{{Regional Four Day Competition seasons}}

[[Category:Regional Four Day Competition| ]]
[[Category:West Indian domestic cricket competitions]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 1965]]
[[Category:First-class cricket competitions]]