The 1971–72 Shell Shield season was the fifth edition of what is now the Regional Four Day Competition, the domestic first-class cricket competition for the countries of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). The tournament was sponsored by Royal Dutch Shell, with matches played from 21 January to 3 March 1972. Five teams contested the competition – Barbados, the Combined Islands, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. Barbados were undefeated, winning three of their four matches and drawing the other to claim a third title (and first since the 1966–67 season). Jamaican batsman Maurice Foster led the tournament in runs, while Barbadian fast bowler Vanburn Holder was the leading wicket-taker. (en)