New spin on an old game

A photo shoot involving tournament funder billionaire Allen Stanford and the 13 legends, staged earlier this week, will be a part of the campaign scheduled to start in May.

Stanford, who is pouring US$28 million into the July tournament, expressed delight with the progress of plans for the event.

“The Stanford Twenty20 is a new spin on an old game. It’s the game we love like we’ve never seen it before,” Stanford said.

“It’s big names with big career statistics and new names and lesser-known heroes. It’s heavy favourites and come-from-behind underdogs. This tournament is unique in so many ways, not only because of the prizes up for grabs but also for the different elements that we are going to add to the game that will make it even more exciting.”

“I don’t want to reveal too much but I hope everyone will come out and see what we have in store.”

The Stanford tournament committee met in St Kitts where the rules and regulations were finalised and progress reports received from the 19 participating nations.

A number of countries have received the first three months of funding— totalling around US$45,000— and some have also started spending the US$100,000 distributed in the initial roll-out of funds.

The Stanford Twenty20 will bowl off on July 11 at the Stanford Cricket Ground in Antigua and conclude with the final on August 13.

The countries due to take part are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Maarten, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands. (CMC)