This cessation, effective June 30, 2008, will allow for the primary focus of development of West Indies cricket to center on the WICB's Strategic Plan. This Strategic Plan includes a cricket academy that will link all the territories together with a unified approach and under a standardized curriculum. It is in the absolute best interest of West Indies cricket that all parties come together to support one thrust to return the region to the Strategic Plan's stated goal of being at the pinnacle of world cricket by 2012.
Sir
Allen reaffirmed his commitment to the WICB by executing agreements that will
be worth in excess of US$33.5 million to West Indies
cricket part of which can be used to fund the Strategic Plan. Further Sir Allen
is committed to honoring the players' one year contracts and will continue to
pay all players through the terms of those contracts.
The
Board of Stanford 20/20, despite having launched the ambitious Professional Team
Programme and being pleased with the work ethic and commitment of the players
and staff decided that suspending the programme at this time would also allow
for a more cohesive working relationship with the WICB and the regional
associations to develop facilities and training programmes at the grass roots
level and lead to a more successful and comprehensive cricket development plan
for the region.
The
bulk of the new funds will go towards ensuring that the number of young
people
playing cricket is increased the standard improved to the point where
the West Indies achieves and maintains its goal of being at
the pinnacle of world cricket by 2012.
The
Board of Stanford 20/20 continues to wholeheartedly support the development of
West Indies Cricket and the Stanford 20/20 Tournament initiatives present
excellent opportunities for players throughout the region to showcase their
talents on the world stage.
Despite this announcement Sir Allen and the Board of Stanford 20/20 would like to restate their commitment to the hosting of the highly successful and extremely popular annual Stanford 20/20 Tournament in Antigua. The 2009 edition of the tournament is already being coordinated and details regarding this tournament will be announced in due course.
The Stanford 20/20 Tournament is a single-elimination knockout cricket
competition featuring teams from several Caribbean
territories vying for the top spot. Nineteen (19) teams competed in the
inaugural 2006 Tournament and twenty (20) teams in the 2008 Tournament. Created
by financier Sir Allen Stanford, the first Tournament took place in July/August
2006 with Guyana
emerging as the Stanford 20/20 Champions and Trinidad & Tobago triumphing
in the 2008 Tournament that ran from January 26 to February 24, 2008.
The 20 countries participating in the competition are Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas,
Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman
Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana,
Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Lucia,
the British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, St. Vincent,
Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands
and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Visit the Stanford2020.com
website for more information about the Stanford 20/20 programme.