It is rather a kind of breaking news that makes the followers of international cricket sorry; Sir Allan Stanford has almost made up his mind for pulling back from Stanford Super Series as well stop sponsoring the Windies domestic 20-Twenty tournament. But at the same time Donald Peters, the CEO of West Indies cricket team makes it clear that it is Super Series that is more at risk of losing the billionaire’s patronage than the West Indies domestic Twenty-20 tournament.

Cricket360.com offers a little flashback for those who may have missed on the previous part of the entire controversy. This Texas based super rich businessman became the sponsor of an annual $20m Twenty-20 tournament between England and West Indies. It took off as a five-year deal but with the option of pulling back before the next challenge scheduled on November this year. It seems the criticisms and hostile reactions originated in England did not go well with Sir Stanford. Then, like all the businessmen worldwide, he is also bitten by the cost-cut bug. He is believed to come under pressure from his company Stanford Financial Group for cutting back on the expenses. Especially, returns being far from satisfactory - he actually lost $40 million dollar - he is in dilemma whether to continue with the contract or just tear it away.

If Stanford was the chief sponsor, Giles Clarke of ECB was the brain behind the Super Series. Now that Stanford is pulling back, Clarke will be in real trouble and the multi-million dollar event will be in perfect chaos. Although it is not yet confirmed, but if Stanford really stops the sponsorship, Clarke may miss the chance of getting reelected to the post of ECB chairman. The February 9th poll is jut round the corner and if the nation stops getting £50,000 from the tycoon, then Clarke has for sure almost lost the battle against his arc rival Lord Marland.

However Clarke may find some hopes in the words of one of Stanford’s spokesperson that he is in the middle of evaluating his options. While Stanford’s pulling back may mean a financial chaos for both West Indies and English cricket boards, it is the English cricketers who may take a sigh of relief privately. This is because Sir Stanford’s habit of flirting with the English players’ wives and his slipping  into the England dressing room on the slightest of pretext did not at all go well with the English cricketers.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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