When Ernest Hilaire, the out-going CEO of the West Indies Cricket Board, announced in late 2012 that a "commercial T20" league would be created, few would have blamed those that witnessed the rise and ignominious fall of Allen Stanford for being a bit nervous.

It has been almost seven years since the spectacular collapse of Stanford's business empire, and with it his groundbreaking Stanford 20/20 tournament, but for many the Texan fraudster's name is still the first that springs to mind when considering T20 cricket in the Caribbean. The wounds are yet to heal. But Caribbean Premier League CEO Damien O'Donohoe says that Stanford isn't discussed anymore by those running the CPL.

"Like with anything, even if Stanford had never happened it would have taken us time to build trust," O'Donohoe told ESPNcricinfo. "Of course, in year one, people were bringing up the Stanford name, but, to be honest, it isn't a name we have heard in over two and a half years now. We have come in and promised a huge amount, and we have delivered over and above what we said we would do."

In recent weeks Stanford's name has reappeared as a result of a BBC interview in which he claimed, from his prison cell in Florida, that he was not guilty of the crimes for which he has been sentenced to 110 years in jail. Beyond those headline-grabbing assertions, however, it was his comments about the commercial viability of cricket in the Caribbean that were of most interest.

read the full article at ESPNcricinfo

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

In reply to positiveg

St Lucia should shun them from entering the country without thier name

In reply to Pacy

Agreed,
but see the promo material won't have St. Lucia on it. But the offical team name is still St. Lucia, that they can't get away with
Still though customs should fetch them up
the only thing is that the fans will suffer

In reply to positiveg

The Caribbean Premier League will be Caribbean in name only. Less and less Caribbean cricketers will be involved. I vote for, yes, another T20 league to get going to keep highlighting the regional T20 players. Even if its the WIPA club championship to step up and involve more teams (even if that tournament is hosted in one country).

In reply to BenGman

I'm agreeing with you wrt less and less Caribbean players will be involved in about 2 more years.
They will find a way to say it doesn't matter how many regional players is fielded.

Are we marketing cricket or a banana republic?

Cream will always float at the top!