For fame, not fortune

Middlesex claim a thrilling Twenty20 final which went to the last ball against Kent

Click here to see Vinny Codrington's exclusive interview on ECBtv

Middlesex chief executive Vinny Codrington insists his side are playing for kudos rather than cash at next week's Stanford Super Series in Antigua.

The Twenty20 Cup holders flew to the Caribbean last weekend to prepare for the high-profile event which has attracted headlines due to the money involved.

Middlesex and West Indies T20 champions Trinidad & Tobago will battle it out for a winner-takes-all pot of money but Codrington says his county's main incentive is showcasing their talents in front of millions of viewers.

"I think one of the disappointing things is that people have talked about the money and nothing but the money," Codrington told ECBtv.

"As far as the lads are concerned, yes, the money is fantastic, but they want to go and give a good account of themselves on what is a world stage and it's their chance to do so. They are looking forward to it.

"The whole journey this winter is almost surreal. At the start of the season you are thinking about the domestic competition and then you wave goodbye to the lads on September 30 and say 'see you in March'. In this case we are seeing the lads and going to far flung places as part of an official tour rather than a pre-season tour.

"It's just been fantastically exciting for everyone associated with the club because this is brand new. It's never been done before. That's what makes it doubly exciting."

Dawid Malan scored a wonderful 103 against Lancashire in the quarter-final as his side recovered from 20 for four

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Middlesex will play three games in five days, sandwiching matches against England and the Stanford Superstars is the clash with Trinidad & Tobago on October 27.

Codrington dismissed talk that the trip is a post-season jolly and said his players are more concerned with runs than rum.

"We have two warm up games against an Antiguan XI specifically because want to give a good account of ourselves against England and the Stanford XI, but particularly the money game which is the Trinidad & Tobago game," he said. "The lads are taking it very seriously."

Middlesex were the outstanding Twenty20 Cup side last season, culminating in a thrilling last-ball victory over Kent at the Rose Bowl. That victory earned a place in the Stanford Super Series and December's Champions League.

"Whenever we needed to, someone stepped up to the plate," said Codrington. "The shining example of that was Dawid Malan's hundred against Lancashire when we were 20 for four in the quarter-final.

"Everybody contributed to the side as a whole. We played very enthusiastic cricket. We had a formula for how we were going to bowl at sides and we backed it up with some good fielding and held our catches."