Stanford: $20m up for grabs!

The Stanford 20/20 format is about excitement, drama and pressure; just what big-time sports is all about. I can't wait to see how the players respond on the night and I'm sure our viewers feel the same way.

Sir Ian Botham
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One of the most talked about cricket matches of all time will be live and exclusive on Sky Sports.

An amazing $20million is up for grabs as England take on the Stanford Superstars in the inaugural 'Stanford 20/20 for 20' in Antigua on 1 November. The winnings are considered to be the richest team prize ever for a one-off sports contest.

The clash is one of six that Sky Sports will show live from the 'Stanford Super Series', a week of matches beginning 25 October announced today by Stanford and the ECB.

Click here to see Stanford Super Series dates

England and the Stanford Superstars will be joined by the 2008 Stanford 20/20 champions Trinidad & Tobago and this year's English Twenty20 Cup winners.

The schedule comprises four warm-up matches between the teams, a clash between Trinidad & Tobago and the Twenty20 Cup winners, plus the 'Stanford 20/20 for 20'.

England cricket legend and Sky Sports commentator Sir Ian Botham believes the prize money and the pressure will bring the very best out of some of the biggest names in the game.

"The Stanford 20/20 format is about excitement, drama and pressure; just what big-time sports is all about," he said.

"I can't wait to see how the players respond on the night and I'm sure our viewers feel the same way."

Explosion

The series is the brainchild of Texan billionaire Sir Allen Stanford.

He was joined by Sky Sports' David Lloyd for Friday's launch and the former England cricket coach is looking forward to the latest development in the shortest form of the game.

"This is the latest chapter of the Twenty20 story on Sky Sports," he said.

"We've followed the format since its inception in 2003 with the Twenty20 Cup in England, its explosion onto the international scene and now the Stanford Super Series later this year.

"It's a mouth-watering addition to our cricket schedules and I can't wait."

Sky Sports' coverage of Twenty20 cricket began with the first ever Twenty20 Cup in England in 2003 and has included live coverage of the tournament ever since.

Coverage of the 2008 Twenty20 Cup culminates with the finals day in its entirety at the Rose Bowl on July 26, when Kent, Essex, Durham and Middlesex do battle.

Sky has screened all of England's Twenty20 matches exclusively live, beginning with their historic first Twenty20 fixture against Australia in 2005, as well as a host of other international matches.

Every match from the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 South Africa last year was also shown by Sky Sports.

Sky Sports' live Stanford Super Series