Tony Becca

The Stanford 20/20 cricket tournament is over and congratulations to Ramnaresh Sarwan and Guyana on winning the trophy and the US$1 million first prize; and also to Trinidad and Tobago, who despite losing, contributed to an exciting final which went down to the penultimate delivery.

Congratulations are also due to billionaire Allen Stanford whose vision and money made it all possible, and also to the 14 legends of West Indies cricket who, from all reports, made a wonderful contribution to the format and the success of the tournament.

And there is no question about it, whatever the reason, be it the carrot of a one million-dollar US first prize, free entry up to the semi-finals and the final, and off the field entertainment featuring the likes of Beenie Man, with the fans, men, women and children, packing into the ground every evening and waving their country's flags, it was a tremendous success.

It was especially so for Stanford himself who, based on the number of times he was interviewed on television, on the number of times he handed out cheques, is certainly now a very popular man in the Caribbean and around the rest of the cricketing world.

Diamond ring

Stanford has always spoken about West Indies cricket and its future and this was what the man, who surprised everyone by presenting each member of the winning team with a magnificent diamond ring, had to say in the tournament brochure.

"West Indies cricket is at a crossroads with a great opportunity to go forward. A new approach must be taken for the sport to grow and to prosper in the years ahead. We need to provide an environment for the young, talented, up-and-coming players that will keep them motivated and interested in developing their careers in the sport of cricket, allowing them to better themselves, not only in the sport but financially as well.

"I want to create a professional environment where West Indian cricketers can do what they do best, playing with their fellow countrymen and against their Caribbean counterparts and be rewarded for excellence.

"Everywhere else in the world, professional athletes are paid according to their skills and ability. For too long our cricketers - who I am convinced have the best raw talent - have been undervalued and underpaid.

"It is time for the WICB, the players and those of us in the private and public sectors to step up to the plate and partner together to commit the financial resources necessary to help countries that struggle with the cost of developing cricket facilities that would allow their players to train and compete at international standards."

Vision

Finally, Stanford said that his "vision for the Stanford 20/20 tournament is that it will be the catalyst for a resurgence of love for the game, that it will signal the return to the glory days", and who to tell, maybe one day it will - in both respects.

While it is possible that because of an exposure like this, one or two of the little boys running around the ground in the evenings may one day become star batsmen or star bowlers, I did not see, as so many of the commentators, the Legends and Stanford himself apparently did, any new talent in the 18 matches played.

And unlike so many of the commentators, the Legends and Stanford himself, I also did not see any big deal with a 16 or 17-year-old representing countries like Montserrat and Nevis.

When it comes to the players earning money, however, the Stanford 20/20 has certainly succeeded. When it comes to countries getting some money to help with development, the Stanford 20/20 has certainly helped

The Stanford 20/20 was a class act, it was well organized, it was well run, it was a lovely treat and but for the huge disparity between the prize money and the incentives available in the Tweny20, the prize money and the incentives available in the 50-over version of the game and the prize money and the incentives available in Test matches, it is a great addition to cricket in the West Indies.