ENGLAND were last night attempting to clarify the situation regarding their long-term deal with Sir Allen Stanford following reports he has withdrawn his support for cricket in the West Indies.

The Texan billionaire has contributed millions of dollars to the West Indies Cricket Board in an attempt to boost their flagging fortunes, bankrolling their domestic Twenty20 competition and the multi-million five-year agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for the annual Stanford Super Series in Antigua.

But reports yesterday suggest he has terminated the contracts of the eight Legends, who include Sir Viv Richards, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, closed the Stanford offices in Antigua and is expected to make an announcement confirming his complete withdrawal from cricket in the Caribbean.

It has left the ECB, whose leading officials are with the England team preparing for the second Test against India, seeking clarification about their relationship with Stanford while battling with a tenhour time difference between America and Mohali.

Stanford is understood to be disillusioned by the value for money he is getting from his investment, having lost USD40m so far – USD20m on prize money for the victorious Superstars squad and USD20m on lost TV revenue and sponsorship deals.

The ECB were believed to be shocked by the news, particularly as Stanford had been positive about their future relationship during their last meeting in London several weeks ago.

He was expected to fund an annual four-team Twenty20 tournament at Lord’s, which was due to begin next summer, while he was also being lined up to bankroll the England Premier League Twenty20 event starting in 2009, which was due to include his Superstars side as one of two overseas teams.

While the loss of his investment is not a major financial blow to the ECB, who only negotiated the five-year deal with Stanford last summer, it will still hit their budget plans in the current financial crisis.

They are expected to lose £10m funding from Sport England following the success of their Chance to Shine grass roots programme for cricket, while team sponsors Vodafone have already announced they will end their £4m backing in January 2010.

Should yesterday’s revelations signal the end of Stanford’s involvement in cricket, it would bring a controversial and short-lived partnership with the ECB to an unexpected finale.

England’s players were known to be unhappy about the concept of the event and Stanford’s intrusions into their dressing room in Antigua were also unwelcome.

He was also pictured with several of the players’ wives, including Matt Prior’s pregnant wife, Emily, sitting on his knee, causing him to telephone captain Kevin Pietersen to apologise.

Having been comprehensively beaten in this year’s event, if Stanford is to end the partnership – both parties are understood to have inserted get-out clauses – it would also deprive England’s players of a major opportunity to win USD1m.

‘‘It’s a huge opportunity and to play in one of those Stanford games is fantastic,’’ admitted Sussex wicketkeeper Prior.

‘‘It’s a potentially lifechanging opportunity, but what will be, will be. We’re not in control of what happens and what goes on.”