The Standford Super Series is the brainchild of Sir Allen Stanford - cricket's modern day Kerry Packer. Packer brought cricket's first revolution in 1977 with the introduction of World Series Cricket, coloured clothing, white balls and day/night matches.

Now Stanford, a fifth generation Texan billionaire, but with Antiguan citizenship has spotted the potential for Twenty20.

The 58-year-old considers five-day tests 'boring,' and so built his own stadium in Antigua to hold his first Stanford Series in 2006.

However, this year is his first punt at bankrolling an international Twenty20 extravaganza between England and a Stanford World X1 worth £20m to the winners.

It's to be the first of five such Twenty20 matches over the next five years, which Stanford fully expects to change the game as we know it.

Middlesex are invited as Twenty20winners in England.