Texan billionaire Sir Allen Stanford blew away centuries of cricket tradition when he helicoptered into Lord’s to announce he was backing what he claimed to be the richest team prize in sporting history – a $20m (£10m) winner-takes-all Twenty20 match between England and his Caribbean all-stars.

Flanked by English cricket officials and an array of former West Indian talent, Sir Allen appeared before a vault stacked with $50 bills, money which is coursing through a sport whose long-term future was in doubt until recently.