The Stanford Superstars dominated England in their $20 million winner-take-all cricket match, winning by 10 wickets to take the richest purse in the sport's history.
The Superstars, made up of players from the Caribbean, needed just two batters and 12.4 overs to win after dismissing England for 99 at the Stanford Cricket Ground in Antigua.
Bowler Sulimen Benn was 3-16 as the England batters did little against the Superstars. Darren Sammy, Jerome Taylor and Kieron Pollard each took two wickets for the home side.
``I don't think words can express how I feel right now,'' Sammy said as he accepted his Man of the Match trophy.
Superstars captain Chris Gayle and Andre Fletcher combined for 101 unbeaten to end the match after just 76 balls. Gayle scored 65 and Fletcher had 32. Gayle clinched the victory with his fifth six of the match.
``It's hard to lose and to see them running around here,'' England captain Kevin Pietersen said in a televised interview.
The match was the final event of the week-long Stanford Twenty20 Super Series, which was bankrolled by Texas billionaire Allen Stanford.
$1 Million Each
Each of the 11 players on the field for Superstars earned $1 million for the victory. Another $2 million will be shared by the squad's non-playing members and management, while the England and Wales Cricket Board and the West Indies board split the remaining $7 million.
``The Stanford Twenty20 has changed the lives of the team,'' Sammy said.
Samit Patel 22 was the top score for England, while Stuart Broad was 8 not out. Matt Prior at 12 and Paul Collingwood at 10 were the only other England players to reach double figures.
England won the toss and Pietersen elected to bat first. Ian Bell and Matt Prior opened well with a 21-run partnership as the Superstars made several early fielding mistakes.
Taylor then steadied the home side by taking the wicket of Bell and struck again two balls later by claiming Prior at leg stump as England was 22-2.
Sammy then took two wickets, leaving England 33-4, before Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood tried to rally the visitors. The duo reached 51 before Pollard took Flintoff's wicket.
Collingwood then fell to Benn and Sammy caught Luke Wright from Pollard to leave England 57-7.
England Reprieve
Patel then got a reprieve when he was dropped by Dave Mohammad and he rebounded to help England to 92-8 before being run out to end the 19th over. Benn then got Harmison for the final wicket one ball short of 20 overs.
England twice missed chances for run outs in the first eight balls of the Superstars innings. Moments after the second, Fletcher hit three consecutive fours to end the second over.
Gayle started the third over with a four and hit his first two sixes at the end of the fifth to help the Superstars to 49 not out. Gayle and Fletcher then continued to pound away at the England bowlers, with the captain's final six ending the match.
Source cktnews.blogspot,com
The Superstars, made up of players from the Caribbean, needed just two batters and 12.4 overs to win after dismissing England for 99 at the Stanford Cricket Ground in Antigua.
Bowler Sulimen Benn was 3-16 as the England batters did little against the Superstars. Darren Sammy, Jerome Taylor and Kieron Pollard each took two wickets for the home side.
``I don't think words can express how I feel right now,'' Sammy said as he accepted his Man of the Match trophy.
Superstars captain Chris Gayle and Andre Fletcher combined for 101 unbeaten to end the match after just 76 balls. Gayle scored 65 and Fletcher had 32. Gayle clinched the victory with his fifth six of the match.
``It's hard to lose and to see them running around here,'' England captain Kevin Pietersen said in a televised interview.
The match was the final event of the week-long Stanford Twenty20 Super Series, which was bankrolled by Texas billionaire Allen Stanford.
$1 Million Each
Each of the 11 players on the field for Superstars earned $1 million for the victory. Another $2 million will be shared by the squad's non-playing members and management, while the England and Wales Cricket Board and the West Indies board split the remaining $7 million.
``The Stanford Twenty20 has changed the lives of the team,'' Sammy said.
Samit Patel 22 was the top score for England, while Stuart Broad was 8 not out. Matt Prior at 12 and Paul Collingwood at 10 were the only other England players to reach double figures.
England won the toss and Pietersen elected to bat first. Ian Bell and Matt Prior opened well with a 21-run partnership as the Superstars made several early fielding mistakes.
Taylor then steadied the home side by taking the wicket of Bell and struck again two balls later by claiming Prior at leg stump as England was 22-2.
Sammy then took two wickets, leaving England 33-4, before Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood tried to rally the visitors. The duo reached 51 before Pollard took Flintoff's wicket.
Collingwood then fell to Benn and Sammy caught Luke Wright from Pollard to leave England 57-7.
England Reprieve
Patel then got a reprieve when he was dropped by Dave Mohammad and he rebounded to help England to 92-8 before being run out to end the 19th over. Benn then got Harmison for the final wicket one ball short of 20 overs.
England twice missed chances for run outs in the first eight balls of the Superstars innings. Moments after the second, Fletcher hit three consecutive fours to end the second over.
Gayle started the third over with a four and hit his first two sixes at the end of the fifth to help the Superstars to 49 not out. Gayle and Fletcher then continued to pound away at the England bowlers, with the captain's final six ending the match.
Source cktnews.blogspot,com
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