The preparations for the highly anticipated Stanford 20/20 2008 Tournament kicked up another gear this week with the filming of television advertisements in Antigua, home of the world?s richest domestic cricket tournament. Plus the series has a new Media and Communications Manager, Imran Khan, of erstwhile Windies‘ ICC Twenty20 fame!

This as twenty-one young men, each representing one of the 21 teams participating in the Stanford 20/20 2008 Tournament were in Antigua to do the filming and the accompanying photography shoot for the print advertisements which will start running in regional media from mid-November.

The 2008 campaign will be in two phases, but the organisers were only revealing the first phase at this stage. “When Night Falls? Cricket Rises“. This part will focus on the unique elements of the tournament and re-introduce it to the region, bringing back the memories of the inaugural event. The 2^nd phase will focus on the national pride of the participating nations and their desire to win.

West Indies players Pedro Collins, Mervyn Dillon and Nixon McLean along with Man-of-the-Match of the Stanford 20/20 2006 Tournament finals, Guyanese Travis Dowlin and exciting young Nevisian opening batsman Kieran Powell were among the players doing the ad shoot.

The players participated in the three day TV and photo shoots at the Stanford Cricket Ground, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and at the Jolly Beach Resort. With all matches in the Stanford 20/20 2008 Tournament slated for night, some of the shoots were done at nights as well.

The region wide advertising campaign to lift awareness of the tournament will commence in mid-November with a series of exciting TV, radio and print ads as well as outdoor billboards.

The Stanford 20/20 Tournament will be held in January and February of 2008 and the tournament will have two additional teams ? Cuba and Turks and Caicos ? and all matches will be played under the lights at the Stanford Cricket Ground.

Guyana, winner of the inaugural tournament in 2006 will defend its title and seek to pocket another US$1M, the top prize for the tournament?s victorious team. There’s still no word on whether India will accept the 5-million U$ offer to play against the victors of this tournament.