$23 Million for a 20-20 Tournament!!

[Mohsin]

http://uk.cricinfo.com/westindies/co...ry/301392.html
http://uk.cricinfo.com/australia/con...ry/301279.html

The International Cricket Council has given a lukewarm response to the proposal from the Texan billionaire, Allen Stanford, who hopes to host a $23 million Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies next year.

"Our members have raised genuine concerns about the concept and have asked ICC to act as an intermediary and help manage discussions between Mr Stanford and the potential host of the matches, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)," said the ICC chief executive, Malcolm Speed.

"The members recognise the potential benefits of the tournament for the development of cricket in the West Indies," added Speed. "At the same time they wish to ensure that their participation in any event such as this will benefit as many of the game's stakeholders as possible to help facilitate its continuing strong growth."

On Sunday, The Australian newspaper reported that Stanford had approached Australia for a week-long Twenty20 knockout also involving India, South Africa and Sri Lanka. The winners would then take on the Stanford Super Stars, a West Indian XI consisting of the best players in the inter-island domestic Twenty20 tournament. The West Indies board met the ICC last week to discuss the event and the issues of payment and the countries involved.

Cricket Australia yesterday said it would consider the proposal subject to ICC approval, although today's statement from the governing body suggests that the WICB was less enamoured with the concept. "Were the West Indies Cricket Board to reach an accommodation on a Twenty20 tournament with the ICC and they were in a position to supply us with more specific detail on any Twenty20 tournament, then we'd be happy to consider it," a Cricket Australia spokesman told The Age.

According to the ICC's Future Tours Programme, Australia need to complete a Test and ODI series in the Caribbean by June 30, 2008. And under the current provisions, as laid out in the recent ICC executive meeting at Lord's, each nation may play a maximum of seven Twenty20 fixtures per year, and two in any one series.

"[The ICC] are keen to ensure any tournament is, wherever possible, consistent with the aims of the current Future Tours Program in terms of both player workload and the existing cap on Twenty20 internationals. Our members also wish to ensure any arrangement is consistent with the ICC's ongoing broadcasting agreement with ESPN STAR Sports governing multi-team events."

Stanford's original inter-island tournament in 2006 was a massive success, raising cricket's profile in the West Indies to a level that the recent World Cup didn't come close to matching. "The key is to achieve a result that is in the best interests of the game as a whole and," said Speed. "To that end, discussions will continue ahead of the ICC board's next meeting, set to take place in Dubai in late October."


Good, I’d rather not see these pointless little tournaments that are all about money. And anyway, it’s not like the BCCI or Cricket Australia need the money now is it!! And also, another thing is that with a lot of teams (including Australia and India), should the Mr Stanford be allowed to even think up these meaningless tournaments?
Another meeting is on the horizon for the ICC. I wonder if any other rules that are 'in the interests of cricket' will be implemented. Here's one!! How about, the bowler MUST bowl under-arm with no run-up. I mean it will make cricket more interesting, especially in those middle overs right?

[salman24]

They should accept
It would be greatto have that series

[Ghoshtbuster]

the last tournament in the West Indies was scheisse

[12thMan]

I am not likeing this Stanford guy. No Pakistan in the Tournament Pakistani players ka bhi dil hey but it is a knockout tournament

[Mohsin]

Originally Posted by 12thMan I am not likeing this Stanford guy. No Pakistan in the Tournament Pakistani players ka bhi dil hey but it is a knockout tournament

I think Stanford's still annoyed at not being able to have his own little tournament involving the West Indies team itself, because it clashed with the itinerary for the tour of Pakistan.