Stanford makes IPL bucks look loose change

New Delhi: This one makes the big bucks of the Indian Premier League look like loose change. Allen Stanford, an American businessman, has signed on a deal with the English Cricket Board for five winner take all T20 matches, worth a whopping 100 million dollars over five years.
Some in the English press are calling it a 'bloodless coup' but billionaire Stanford probably has no time to read newspapers. He arrived at the home of cricket - Lord's in regal style to announce cricket's latest stunner.

On the 1st November, an England eleven will play a West Indies eleven in a T20 bash at his own ground in Antigua where as Stanford said: "It is a one night, winner-takes-all 20 million dollars. The winner goes home happy, the loser goes home unhappy."

And just to put his money where his mouth is, Stanford even showed off the cash on offer (20 millions dollars). Stanford has been running a tournament in the Caribbean for the last couple of years and seems to have successfully seduced the game's administrators there.

"We need this investment in the infrastructure of cricket to underpin our own strategic plan. So, if you do not see me looking like I am not smiling - I am smiling on the inside," said Dr Julian Hunte, West Indies Cricket Board President.

Some of the game's greatest names were there including Sir Ian Botham and Sir Vivian Richards, all perhaps wondering but not expressing their fear for the future of the traditional game- Test cricket. But stanford was more blunt.

"Test cricket is a foundation, it is what cricket came from. Twenty20, however, is the future, and that's where you will make your money," stated Stanford.

Plans are also in the pipeline for an annual four-nation tournament for the next five years, worth nearly 10 million dollars every year.

Source: http://www.cricketnext.com/news/stanford-makes-ipl-bucks-look-loose-change/32127-13.html