COOLIDGE, Antigua (CMC):

CUBA WILL not be playing in the 2008 Stanford Twenty20 Cup, organisers announced yesterday.

Due to the United States embargo against Cuba, organisations and American citizens such as Sir Allen Stanford have to apply and receive special permission from the United States Government to conduct any type of activity with that Caribbean nation.

Much to the disappointment of Sir Allen and the West Indies legends working with him, Sir Allen's application was denied.

"We have been anxious to include the entire Caribbean in the Stanford Twenty20 Cup, and I am extremely disappointed that Cuba will not be able to play," Sir Allen said in a news release.

"Stanford Twenty20 is requesting that the denial from the United States Government be reconsidered and we are exploring every option to secure their future participation."

The news comes as a huge disappointment to the Cuba team as well. It has been training intensely with the help of West Indies fast bowling legend Courtney Walsh for what was to be their first official competition outside of their homeland.

"We were looking forward to seeing what the heavily baseball-influenced nation could do with a cricket bat," Sir Allen added.

Cuba were scheduled to play in the first match of the competition against St. Maarten on January 25.

As a result of the team being unable to participate, St. Maarten will automatically advance to the second round to face St. Vincent and the Grenadines on February 1. The opening ceremony has been rescheduled for January 26 and will be followed by the second match on the original schedule featuring St. Lucia and the Cayman Islands.