The 20-million-dollar Stanford 20/20, the world's richest cricket match which had been in danger because of a bitter row over commercial rights, will go-ahead as planned, organisers said on Thursday.
The match, between the Stanford Supertars and England, had been thrown into doubt after a High Court hearing had backed objections made by West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) sponsors Digicel.
The telecommunications company argued that the WICB had entered an agreement with Stanford that "wholly compromises the exclusive rights granted to Digicel as principal sponsors of West Indies cricket".
That legal decision meant that either the match would have to be called off or that the Stanford Superstars side would be weakened by the withdrawal of most of the leading West Indian players.
But the match, the highlight of the week-long Stanford Super Series, will now take place as scheduled on November 1 after talks between the two sides proved successful.
Sir Allen Stanford, the man behind the cricket revolution in the Caribbean, said: "I am pleased with both parties' solution-oriented approach and most importantly that this matter has been finally resolved.
"We look forward to welcoming fans from around the world to the Stanford Cricket Ground to enjoy a fantastic week of cricket."
Reports in the Caribbean media earlier Thursday claimed a "commercial agreement" had been reached after a trans-Atlantic telephone conversation between Stanford and Digicel's Irish boss Denis O'Brien.
"Digicel is delighted to confirm that negotiations have been successful and that arrangements have been put in place to allow for the Series to continue for at least the next three years," said a statement.
"As such, the match scheduled between the West Indies and England on November 1 will now proceed.
"Digicel has at all times supported the Stanford initiative and from the outset sought a negotiated compromise with the relevant parties."
England all-rounder Paul Collingwood said he was looking forward to the match.
"It's going to be interesting, it's going to be certainly a good spectacle," said Collingwood.
"I'm sure there will be a lot of pressure on the day."
The row over the match began when the WICB originally agreed to make all their players available to play for Texan billionaire Stanford's select side.
But Digicel went to the High Court in a bid to establish that, as the contracted official sponsor of the WICB until 2012, it enjoyed commercial rights associated with a game that was, in effect, a West Indies XI v England.
The High Court upheld that argument and ruled that the Board would be in breach of its contract with Digicel if it sanctioned the match without granting commercial rights to its sponsor.
Source:www.cricbuzz.com
The match, between the Stanford Supertars and England, had been thrown into doubt after a High Court hearing had backed objections made by West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) sponsors Digicel.
The telecommunications company argued that the WICB had entered an agreement with Stanford that "wholly compromises the exclusive rights granted to Digicel as principal sponsors of West Indies cricket".
That legal decision meant that either the match would have to be called off or that the Stanford Superstars side would be weakened by the withdrawal of most of the leading West Indian players.
But the match, the highlight of the week-long Stanford Super Series, will now take place as scheduled on November 1 after talks between the two sides proved successful.
Sir Allen Stanford, the man behind the cricket revolution in the Caribbean, said: "I am pleased with both parties' solution-oriented approach and most importantly that this matter has been finally resolved.
"We look forward to welcoming fans from around the world to the Stanford Cricket Ground to enjoy a fantastic week of cricket."
Reports in the Caribbean media earlier Thursday claimed a "commercial agreement" had been reached after a trans-Atlantic telephone conversation between Stanford and Digicel's Irish boss Denis O'Brien.
"Digicel is delighted to confirm that negotiations have been successful and that arrangements have been put in place to allow for the Series to continue for at least the next three years," said a statement.
"As such, the match scheduled between the West Indies and England on November 1 will now proceed.
"Digicel has at all times supported the Stanford initiative and from the outset sought a negotiated compromise with the relevant parties."
England all-rounder Paul Collingwood said he was looking forward to the match.
"It's going to be interesting, it's going to be certainly a good spectacle," said Collingwood.
"I'm sure there will be a lot of pressure on the day."
The row over the match began when the WICB originally agreed to make all their players available to play for Texan billionaire Stanford's select side.
But Digicel went to the High Court in a bid to establish that, as the contracted official sponsor of the WICB until 2012, it enjoyed commercial rights associated with a game that was, in effect, a West Indies XI v England.
The High Court upheld that argument and ruled that the Board would be in breach of its contract with Digicel if it sanctioned the match without granting commercial rights to its sponsor.
Source:www.cricbuzz.com
