***Official*** Stanford Super Series

[Goughy]

Yeah that would be a lot more sensible thing to do, but my point is England v West Indies (which is what this whole mickey mouse tournament is basically all about) is hardly an eye-catching contest, is it, so what is making Stanford shell this kind of money on such a worthless tournament, or is it simply a case of him having way too much money too handle, and not knowing what really to do with it.

To be fair, from an England POV, it is traditionally the 2nd biggest opponent.

Even with WI being rubbish now, tickets for Eng-WI games sell like hot cakes.

Also, tours to West Indies from England are massive. England playing a multi-million dollar game has a perfect location in the Caribbean.

From an England perspective (IMO), WI are the best (and most glamerous) opponent after Australia.

 

[four_or_six]

To be fair, from an England POV, it is traditionally the 2nd biggest opponent.

Even with WI being rubbish now, tickets for Eng-WI games sell like hot cakes.

Also, tours to West Indies from England are massive. England playing a multi-million dollar game has a perfect location in the Caribbean.

From an England perspective (IMO), WI are the best (and most glamerous) opponent after Australia.

IMO, India are.

Maybe I just know more Indian people, but the atmosphere in matches against India is great, and there's loads of banter with Indian fans that I know during the whole series.

 

[Richard]

If he really wants to help then he should start some cricket academy or something on those lines throughout the Caribbean, but by holding such worthless tournaments he is just making a bunch of players rich, nothing more nothing less.

Yeah exactly. Really very strange. Money needs even, careful distribution. The WICB have proven that no-one there down the years is capable of giving this. It seems Stanford isn't much better.

Get Camps on board IMO.

 

[Uppercut]

It's either that or, as I say, he is honestly trying to help but going about it in completely the wrong way - exactly the same as he did with that regional Twenty20 competition he was\is holding yearly.

What destroyed my diminishing hope that that was the case was Michael Holding's comments on leaving the board.

 

[Langeveldt]

IMO, India are.

Maybe I just know more Indian people, but the atmosphere in matches against India is great, and there's loads of banter with Indian fans that I know during the whole series.

Well the West Indies games used to be packed with WI expats, not sure where they all went, to other sports I guess..

 

[FBU]

Taken from a piece in The Guardian some time back

In Antigua Stanford owns the national bank, runs the airline, paid for the hospital, and built the hotels.

He has pledged $130m to West Indian cricket over five years, with the eventual aim of making all the competing teams fully professional. He is already bankrolling four sides (Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Nevis and St Lucia) to practise and play full-time. They have their own physiotherapists, nutritionists and equipment.

While awarding journeyman spinner Dave Mohammed $100,000 for bowling four overs and taking four for 20 is unlikely to do much for Caribbean cricket in the short term, Stanford has a genuine desire to make West Indies the best team in the world. He is building an infrastructure that will pay dividends in years to come, including two cricket academies.

 

[Uppercut]

Taken from a piece in The Guardian some time back

In Antigua Stanford owns the national bank, runs the airline, paid for the hospital, and built the hotels.

He has pledged $130m to West Indian cricket over five years, with the eventual aim of making all the competing teams fully professional. He is already bankrolling four sides (Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Nevis and St Lucia) to practise and play full-time. They have their own physiotherapists, nutritionists and equipment.

While awarding journeyman spinner Dave Mohammed $100,000 for bowling four overs and taking four for 20 is unlikely to do much for Caribbean cricket in the short term, Stanford has a genuine desire to make West Indies the best team in the world. He is building an infrastructure that will pay dividends in years to come, including two cricket academies.

Ah, fair enough. If that's true it's pretty hard to argue against.

 

[Goughy]

Taken from a piece in The Guardian some time back

In Antigua Stanford owns the national bank, runs the airline, paid for the hospital, and built the hotels.

He has pledged $130m to West Indian cricket over five years, with the eventual aim of making all the competing teams fully professional. He is already bankrolling four sides (Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Nevis and St Lucia) to practise and play full-time. They have their own physiotherapists, nutritionists and equipment.

While awarding journeyman spinner Dave Mohammed $100,000 for bowling four overs and taking four for 20 is unlikely to do much for Caribbean cricket in the short term, Stanford has a genuine desire to make West Indies the best team in the world. He is building an infrastructure that will pay dividends in years to come, including two cricket academies.

It is clearly an impressive list.

However if you are right 9 times out of ten, it still leaves the other time. Regarding Stanford, this appears to be Digicels sponsorship where (IMO, without seeing contracts) he is mistaken.

 

[Richard]

Taken from a piece in The Guardian some time back

In Antigua Stanford owns the national bank, runs the airline, paid for the hospital, and built the hotels.

He has pledged $130m to West Indian cricket over five years, with the eventual aim of making all the competing teams fully professional. He is already bankrolling four sides (Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Nevis and St Lucia) to practise and play full-time. They have their own physiotherapists, nutritionists and equipment.

While awarding journeyman spinner Dave Mohammed $100,000 for bowling four overs and taking four for 20 is unlikely to do much for Caribbean cricket in the short term, Stanford has a genuine desire to make West Indies the best team in the world. He is building an infrastructure that will pay dividends in years to come, including two cricket academies.

That's a bit more like it, but still it requires the money to be spent wisely, something West Indian cricket is not good at.

 

[Uppercut]

It is clearly an impressive list.

However if you are right 9 times out of ten, it still leaves the other time. Regarding Stanford, this appears to be Digicels sponsorship where (IMO, without seeing contracts) he is mistaken.

Yeah, i don't believe he's got this one right. But with regards to the questions raised over his motives, the list seems to be pretty conclusive.

 

[stumpski]

Looks as if it's all under threat now ...

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20081007/tuk-high-court-ruling-leaves-world-s-ric-2c0ffe7.html

I hope no-one's started spending the money already.

 

[Goughy]

The court is spot on.

There is a long history of WICB acting like clowns and this is further evidence of their greed and incompetence.

I hope the game is still on with a Digicel favoured comprimise.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Time for Pietersen to restart extolling the virtues of the IPL.

At things stand now, Sri Lanka's tour of England in 2009 might end up being played between Sri Lanka A and England A...

 

[Richard]

Looks as if it's all under threat now ...

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20081007/tuk-high-court-ruling-leaves-world-s-ric-2c0ffe7.html

I hope no-one's started spending the money already.

Deary me, you hope not indeed. Must be infuriating for the innocent parties.

 

[Uppercut]

Can't see it being called off, both parties have too much to gain from it going ahead now. Digicel won't want to be the company that spoiled the party.

 

[bryce]

**** this 20/20 for 20 pisses me off, put it in ****in' perspective 20/20 for 2000000

 

[Polo23]

**** this 20/20 for 20 pisses me off, put it in ****in' perspective 20/20 for 2000000

Yeah, it's absolutely rubbish. This Allan Stanford dickhead is ruining the game (along with the BCCI).

Since this game isn't going to be sanctioned, does that mean the ICC will ban all players who play in it? If they don't they are monumental hypocrites (but we already knew that, didnt we?).

 

[social]

Court in Lausanne has ruled that Stanford Series now has exactly the same standing as the ICL

Even if a compromise allows series to go ahead, it's good news for the ICL players wanting to play international cricket as they'll have another precedent on their side

 

[Richard]

Not entirely sure how courts in Lausanne can impact on matters relating to the USA, UK, India and Caribbean TBH.

Nor how anyone bar the BCCI can rule on the "standing" of the ICL - whatever that means.

 

[Richard]

This Allan Stanford dickhead is ruining the game (along with the BCCI).

Well, no. Not neccessarily. It's more that his offers of help aren't being used in the right way.