Netherlands, Sussex to play Caribbean T20

Netherlands and Sussex will feature in the 2011-12 Caribbean T20, while Canada will play in the tournament for a third consecutive year. Hampshire and Somerset, who played in the last edition, will not take part this time, with Netherlands and Sussex replacing them to make up three foreign teams that will compete with the seven Caribbean teams.

The tournament will be played from January 9-22, 2012, and Trinidad will replace Antigua as the second venue for matches, while Barbados retains its status as a host for games.

Netherlands will take part in the 2012 World Twenty20 qualifying tournament in March next year, and their CEO Richard Cox said the Caribbean T20 would be a good way to prepare for international cricket. "Undoubtedly this is another significant move in our preparation for the international playing programme," he said. "I know the players will love the opportunity of playing against the likes of Trinidad & Tobago who have featured so well in the Champions League Twenty20 in India."

Sussex were quarter-finalists in the 2011 Friends Life t20, and their chief executive Dave Brooks said the Caribbean T20 would be a chance for their players to perform in different conditions and would also be a chance to test young players.

In last year's edition, Hampshire reached the semi-final, while the other two foreign teams, Somerset and Canada, finished third and fourth in their respective groups.