Antigua and Barbuda is hosting some of today’s stars at the forthcoming Stanford 20/20 Cricket Tournament from 11 July - 13 August 2006.

With the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 just around the corner, the Stanford 20/20 Tournament promises to kick-start the cricketing buzz within the Caribbean and around the world. The financer behind this tournament is businessman, Allen Stanford.

In total, there will be 19 Caribbean territories playing in a single elimination knockout competition. All teams will be vying for the top spot and the US$1 million prize money. The second place team will receive US$500,000. The cricket boards of the two top teams will receive US$200,000 and US$100,000 respectively, which must be used toward the development and improvement of the cricket facilities in those countries. In addition, the man of the match in every game will receive US$25,000 and the Man of the Match in the championship game will receive US$100,000.

Antigua and Barbuda’s cricketing legends are also ambassadors for the tournament. They are working with other cricketing personalities such as Courtney Walsh and Sir Garfield Sobers to advance the philosophy behind the event and to assist with the promotion throughout the region.

The Stanford 20/20 Tournament is part of a US$28 million budget that will be invested in cricket in the region by Allen Stanford in 2006.

Lorraine Headley, Director-General of Tourism commented that, ‘The tournament is an excellent venture for cricket and for the Caribbean. The Government of Antigua and Barbuda is investing a substantial amount of money into cricket during 2006 and 2007 which will include the renovation of the Antigua Recreation Ground and the building of the new Sir Vivian Richards stadium.  The country is also very proud to be hosting six matches in the second stage of the ICC Cricket Word Cup 2007.”

Antiguan born cricketing legend Sir Vivian Richards added that “The Stanford 20/20 Cricket Tournament will be a great experience for the Caribbean signalling the start of the cricket fever which will soon take over the islands’, and in my opinion the perfect appetiser for what we will be hosting in 2007.  Not only do we have the exciting prospects of the 20/20, but it is followed closely by the bigger picture of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.”

Sir Vivian Richards, along with Founding Directors Melanie Etherington and Neil Keeling, set up a charitable sports foundation in the West Indies in 2003 and they are pleased to announce that “the plans for The Sir Vivian Richards Foundation, www.svrf.com, are continuing to expand.  We are embarking on our original efforts to promote the growth, coaching and emergence of future West Indies sporting stars through clinics, educational workshops, and the promotion of school and club sporting activities.  Later on in the year, we are expecting to make a presentation to the Ministry of Sports in Antigua and Barbuda, and will continue to fulfil the initial mission statement of the foundation.”

Worldwide on-line applications began on 1 May for the ICC CWC 2007 and fans from countries as diverse as Mauritius, China and the USA have already expressed their interest in attending games in the Caribbean.
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