Stanford 20/20 Professional Team Formed in Antigua

Coolidge, Antigua – Tuesday, 19 June 2007 – The Stanford 20/20 Board of Directors today has announced the creation of a Stanford 20/20 Professional Team in Antigua as part of the Stanford 20/20 cricket initiative and another step toward achieving Tournament creator Sir Allen Stanford’s ultimate goal of establishing a professional 20/20 cricket league in the West Indies.

Made up of Antiguan nationals, the team in Antigua is being described as a test case to establish the format for setting up other such professional teams throughout the region. Players on the team will be paid to play cricket fulltime. They will also be able to carry out West Indies, Leeward Island Cricket Association and Antigua National Team duties as part of the programme.

“In addition to creating more competitive play in the Stanford 20/20 Tournament, the purpose for the Stanford 20/20 Professional Team in Antigua and the league overall is to provide the West Indies with a pool of players that they can tap into when making selections for their National and West Indies Cricket Teams,” explained Stanford. “These players are going to live, eat and breathe cricket. They are going to be paid for it. Their job will be to play cricket and they will make a living doing so. The West Indies cannot help but benefit from the caliber of cricket that we are going to see come out of this team and the league when it all comes together. We are very excited about what this means for West Indies cricket. It is indeed a new day!”

Along with training and playing cricket fulltime, the Stanford 20/20 Professional Team members will also participate in educational classroom activities focusing on such topics as motivation, financial planning and advanced technical cricket and work with the youth programme and in the schools with up and coming youth cricketers. The players will also travel extensively in order to gain valuable competitive experience.

17 players have been selected for the professional team following a camp that was held in May. Another 13 will train with the team on a regular basis. The selection panel was comprised of the local selectors from the Antigua & Barbuda Cricket Association along with the Coach for the team, Eldine Baptiste and the Stanford 20/20 legends from Antigua – Sir Vivian Richards, Andy Roberts, Richie Richardson and Curtly Ambrose.

The team will have a full time coach and personal trainer in Antiguans Eldine Baptiste and Evans ‘Jawakie’ Jones, as well as a full time manager. Other specialists will be brought in when necessary to assist in the physical and mental development of the players.

“I am excited to be a part of the Stanford Professional Team in Antigua & Barbuda,” said 19 year-old Pro Team player Michael Challenger of Liberta. “It is an honour to represent my country, and I’m proud that Antigua was chosen to pioneer this programme. I look forward to what the future holds for me and the Pro Team, and I thank Sir Allen for giving me this opportunity.”

The members of the Stanford 20/20 Professional Team in Antigua are:

Sylvester Joseph – Captain
Justin Athanaze
Michael Challenger
Wilden Cornwall
Juari Edwards
Chad Hampson
Larry Joseph
Anthony Martin
Stephen Matthew
Branco Payne
Austin Richards Jr.
Mali Richards
Curtis Roberts
Carl Simon
Devon Thomas
Gavin Tonge
Gavin Williams

Coach – Eldine Baptiste
Trainer – Evans (Jawakie) Jones