'Disgraced' Stanford's Caribbean cricket empire abridged to field of dreams

Barbados, (West Indies), Apr 8(ANI): Even before the Indian Premier League changed the landscape of world cricket, shamed Texan financier, Allen Stanford threatened to do likewise with his own spendthrift Twenty20 tournament in the Caribbean, but now he sits in a US jail cell awaiting sentencing, after being found guilty last month of running a 7 billion dollar Ponzi scheme.

When the buildup was at its crest in 2008, the ground played host to a 20 million dollar winner-takes-all match between a team consisting of West Indies players, the Stanford Superstars, and an England side led by Kevin Pietersen.

Stanford's stadium in Antigua, the Stanford Cricket Ground, these days somewhat fittingly referred to by locals as Sticky Wicket Stadium, is in danger of becoming a white elephant, as cricket is no longer played at the venue.

Last year, it hosted a professional football team, Antigua Barracudas, who compete in a US league.

The Barracudas cleared out during the off-season for Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, which hosted the opening game of their season on Friday.

"It's not being used at all, in fact it's not in any condition to be used," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted the Barracudas chief executive, Mark Bowers, as saying.

"The guy came out here and had his idea about how he wanted things done and he ran into a brick wall. The non-use of the ground and the state that it is in now is an indication of his demise, so to speak. It is lying there going to waste, for wont of a better term," he added. (ANI)