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Stanford 'sorry' for dalliances with cricket WAGs

28/10/2008

Sir Allen Stanford has apologised for 'distracting' England's stars during Sunday night's match against Middlesex after big-screen pictures were shown of him with the players' partners.

Stanford, 58, was shown with the wife of England wicketkeeper Matt Prior, Emily, sitting on his knee while he also had his arm around the shoulders of Alastair Cook's girlfriend and a third woman, believed to be a friend.

The television coverage of Stanford, who is a father of six children and separated from his wife, was screened live on Sky Sports as well as on big screens inside the ground during the match.

And afterwards some of England's players are understood to have complained about the businessman's antics.

Stanford was more understated while watching yesterday's Middlesex against Trinidad and Tobago fixture in the Champions Cup in Antigua and is thought to have requested cameras not to focus on him as much.

And in a statement, a spokesman for Stanford said: "He understood that the players were not particularly pleased with the incident and as a result of that he apologised.

"He called both [England captain] Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior personally and they have accepted his apology."

After the match, England bowler Stuart Broad said: "When the pictures came up on the big screen there were a lot of gobsmacked people in our side.

"Matt Prior was in a state of total shock, especially as his wife is pregnant."