by PHILIP SPOONER

THE STANFORD 20/20 CRICKET PROJECT across the Caribbean just keeps growing and growing.

The expansion has hit Anguilla, St Lucia and Nevis and from November 1 these three countries will have fully-paid professional teams. They will join Antigua and Barbuda as the teams operating on a full-time professional basis. Players are paid to train six days per week and have the support staff of a qualified coach, trainer, physiotherapist, and manager.

Rhonda Kelly, one of the directors of Kelly Holdings who are the co-ordinators of the project, told the SATURDAY SUN they were excited to have the new teams joining the group.

She also indicated that after next year's Stanford 20/20 cricket tournament all the other teams with the exception of Cuba
would come on board.

The new set-up comes at an opportune time for tiny Anguilla, who earlier this week were crowned champions of the Leeward Islands tournament for the first time.

"We are delighted to announce that these three teams will all have professional outfits from November 1. Each team will have 16 players who will be paid to play cricket on a full-time basis," she said from Antigua.

"What is also quite exciting is that from next year all the other teams will also go pro. It will be done in stages and we will be working with each country to ensure things run smoothly."

The Stanford 20/20, headed by Texan billionaire Allen Stanford, has decided to pour more than US$100 million into West Indies cricket to aid with development.

They signed an agreement with the West Indies Cricket Board which would ensure that players who signed up to a "pro team" were eligible to play for West Indian representative sides and for individual national sides. The deal also ensures that the Stanford 20/20 tournament, to be played in Antigua in January and February, enjoys the blessing of Caribbean cricket authorities and avoids any clashes with other competitions.

"It is mutually beneficial as it will create a full-time talent pool," said Kelly.

Guyana won the inaugural competition, featuring 19 teams, in August 2006. There will be two more sides in next year's edition, with the addition of Cuba and Turks and Caicos. The winners will receive US$1 million in prize money.