West Indies will gain long-term

Sir Allen Stanford is the brains and money behind the new 20/20 for 20 initiative

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West Indies legends Sir Vivian Richards and Curtly Ambrose insist cricket in the Caribbean will get a huge lift from the Stanford 20/20 for 20 which was launched at Lord's on Wednesday.

The star batsman who sent fielders scurrying for cover and fearsome bowler who had opponents jumping around the crease were two of a handful of superstars who were present at the Home of Cricket as Sir Allen Stanford announced his plans for the new competition.

On November 1 - Antiguan Independence Day - England will play the Stanford Super Stars for a $20m prize, a game which will then be replicated for a further four years.

While the players are the main beneficiaries, the West Indies Cricket Board will receive a huge chunk of money which is hoped will help regenerate the game in the Caribbean.

"This is all about igniting the spirit as far as Caribbean cricket is concerned," said Richards, who scored 8,540 Test runs.

"I'm very excited. As an Antiguan and Barbadan I am very privileged that someone who made Antigua his home, as Sir Allen did, is doing all this exciting stuff."

Richards pointed to the two regional Stanford 20/20 tournaments that have already taken place in West Indies as a yardstick for what to expect in November.

"With the Twenty20 regional tournaments it sent out that message big-time," he added. "We had two regional tournaments and that created the atmosphere that we are seeing now. It's great for the families and attendance factor. Let's hope that continues."

The sight of Ambrose at Lord's used to mean one thing - a flurry of English wickets - but the giant bowler, who took 405 Test wickets, was all smiles as he considered how the Stanford 20/20 for 20 can shape the future of West Indian cricket.

A galaxy of cricketing stars including Sir Viv Richards and Curtly Ambrose lined up for the 20/20 for 20 launch day

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"West Indies cricket at the moment is not good," he said. "I believe that when West Indies cricket is strong then it's good for world cricket. This Twenty20 initiative is a good thing."

"Cricket is the only defining force we have in the Caribbean. Cricket is the only thing we have to cling to. I'm hoping that the money being pumped into grassroots cricket will define West Indies cricket in a few years."

Tall and slender as he was in his playing days, Ambrose would still be a frightening proposition from 22 yards. However, despite the launch of the most high-profile game in the history of cricket, he insisted he had no desire to pull on the famous wristbands and mark out his run-up.

"Once I retire, I stay retired," he said, with a grin. "I have no regrets. I reckon this tournament came about when I was not supposed to be part of it. I'll do what I can off the pitch to help West Indies cricket."

Stanford, who flew to Lord's in a helicopter and landed on the Nursery Ground, is deeply in love with West Indies cricket.

"I’m investing it in cricket’s future in the West Indies," he said. "We’re in a bit of a trough and I want to do everything I can to bring it back up.

“I’m doing the best I can. We had to create something that had never been done to take the sport to another level.”

West Indies Cricket Board president Julian Hunte stressed the importance of the initiative to cricket in the Caribbean and added that he was smiling inside.

“In addition to the players and officials benefiting, we see this as part of the resurgence of West Indies cricket ," he said. “This is a dream come true and hopefully we will be able to capitalise on it in a positive way.

“It is good for us. We need this investment in the infrastructure of cricket to underpin our own strategic plan.”