AP
England's cricket captain Kevin Pietersen (left) and Stanford Superstars captain Chris Gayle pose with the trophy a day before the Stanford 20/20 for 20 cricket match in St John's, Antigua, yesterday. In the first of five annual matches, the winner will take home US$20 million, the richest team prize for a single sporting match.

Tym Glaser, Associate Sports Editor

ST JOHN'S, Antigua:

TONIGHT, around about dinnertime, 11 cricketers are going to have their bank balances boosted by a million US dollars for merely having played in a 20/20 match.

In the greatest one-off prize in the history of team sport, either England or the Stanford Superstars will walk off the pretty, little Stanford Cricket Ground with the winner-take-all cheque of US$20 million and, in many cases, into a totally different life.

The monetary factor can't be underestimated as Stanford's 20/20 for 20 showdown is upon us and how each team handles that pressure will go a long way to deciding the outcome of the match.

The popular line here all week has been that it's still a game of cricket, both from the England and Superstars camps, but England paceman Steve Harmison also acknowledged "it's a life-changing" amount of money.

Superstars outfit

Surprisingly, the less experienced Superstars outfit looks most at ease going into the game. They whipped England 20/20 champions Middlesex by 58 runs on Thursday night, while England scraped past a young Trinidad side, without the likes of Dwayne Bravo (injured) and Superstar players Dave Mohammed, Kieron Pollard and Rayad Emrit, by a run on Tuesday.

Off the field, the Superstars have also shown an edge. While the England players are reluctant to answer the ubiquitous question about the potential windfall, the Stanford Superstars have laughed it off.

When asked what he'd do with the cash, Superstars captain Chris Gayle simply said: "Spend it".

If the Superstars can carry that laidback attitude into the match, they will have a decided advantage against what is still a steely professional outfit.

England failed to impress in their two previous matches of the Stanford Super Series, but there's abundant talent in the squad and it only takes one stellar performance to seal a 20/20 game.

Skipper Kevin Pietersen, a tremendous strokeplayer and improviser, is the key batting figure in the line-up but, Ian Bell, wicketkeeper/opener Matt Prior, dangerous allrounder Andrew Flintoff, Owais Shah, Paul Collingwood and Luke Wright all have the potential to win the game with the bat.

The England bowling stock also looks solid. Harmison, Stuart Broad and Flintoff will lead a strong seam attack. Toss in Collingwood's med-ium pace, left-arm spinner Samit Patel and offspinner Graeme Swann and the visitors have a well-rounded strike force.

Selection dilemmas

Meanwhile, the Superstars basically played their XI on Thursday night, so there should be few selection dilemmas for coach Eldine Baptiste, assistant coach Roger Harper and captain Gayle.

Hard-hitting Gayle, whose preparations have been hampered by personal problems and a thumb injury, remains the key figure in the batting line-up but it's not a one-man show.

Young Grenadian Andre Fletcher stepped to the fore against Middlesex and pounded seven sixes on his way to a Stanford Super Series-leading 90 not out. Ever-reliable Shivnarine Chanderpaul, like Gayle, a little underdone, Ramnaresh Sarwan, hometown hero Sylvester Joseph, Kieron Pollard and Lennox Cush can all provide explosive middle to late order hitting.

On the bowling front, Jerome Taylor's return, after being rested for the last practice match, should provide the side with a potent one-two Jamaican opening attack, as Daren Powell looked particularly quick under the lights on Thursday night.

Tricky pitches

The left-arm spin from Bajan Sulieman Benn and the mercurial Trinidadian Dave Mohammed, plus Cush's offspin, could also prove decisive on what have been tricky pitches to read.

Offspinning Gayle and medium pacer Pollard should be able to eat up a few overs or more between them.

Talent will play a major part in this game but, simply put, whichever team handles the enormous pressure of a US$20 million payday will emerge victorious and so much richer.

Line-ups:

Superstars (probable): Chris Gayle, Andre Fletcher, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Sylvester Joseph, Kieron Pollard, Lennox Cush, Sulieman Benn, Jerome Taylor, Dave Mohammed, Daren Powell.

England: Matt Prior, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Owais Shah, Andrew Flintoff, Paul Collingwood, Samit Patel, Luke Wright, Graeme Swan, Stuart Broad, Steve Harmison.