Jeremiah Louis was struck on the side of his helmet by a delivery from fast bowler Jayden Seales.
The West Indies Championship match between Trinidad & Tobago and Leeward Islands was officially abandoned on Tuesday (April 21) due to a dangerous pitch at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua
The decision followed a serious incident where Leeward Islands batter Jeremiah Louis was struck on the side of his helmet by a delivery from fast bowler Jayden Seales. The ball reared up sharply and unexpectedly from a good length.
Louis collapsed upon impact before removing his helmet and striking the turf in frustration. He was eventually stretchered off and taken to a hospital for evaluation, with Cricket West Indies (CWI) later confirming the batter “is reported to be in stable condition”.
Umpires Leslie Reifer and Zahid Bassarath, after consulting with match referee Johnathan Blades and groundstaff, determined the pitch displayed "unpredictable and uneven behaviour".
As the surface could not be safely repaired without creating an unfair advantage, it was deemed unfit for play and the match was called off during the first session of Day 3.
“The decision to abandon the match was made in accordance with the official playing conditions governing the competition. Under these conditions, when on-field umpires determine that it is dangerous or unreasonable for play to continue, play must be stopped and the CWI Match Referee consulted.
“Following discussions with the curator, it was determined [by the umpires] that the pitch could not be safely repaired without creating an unfair advantage and was therefore deemed unfit to resume, resulting in the match being abandoned as a draw. Both teams will be awarded points earned up until the abandonment of the contest in accordance with the championship’s playing conditions,” said CWI in a statement.
With the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium set to host the Championship Final from May 17-20, CWI stated that "all necessary resources and expertise" will be deployed to ensure a safe playing surface for that fixture.
The board’s statement added: “CWI further advises that no matches are scheduled at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium until the Championship Final, set for May 17-20, and confirms that all necessary resources and expertise will be deployed to ensure the preparation of a safe and competitive playing surface for that fixture. It is also important to note that the surface used for the Leeward Islands vs Trinidad and Tobago match is one of six pitches available at the venue and differs from the one used for match one of the Guyana vs Windward Islands series. CWI will continue to prioritize player safety while ensuring the highest standards of pitch preparation and match operations across all venues.”
Before play was halted, Jayden Seales wreaked havoc with the ball, taking all seven wickets in the Leeward Islands' second innings. At the time of abandonment, the Leeward Islands were 140/7 in their second innings, leading by 96 runs.