David Lloyd reflects on the Stanford Super Series announcement and deems it to be great for the game.

The Stanford Super Series news is exciting for cricket and shows what a pace the game is moving at.

Not only has it given our own Twenty20 finalists something extra to play for, it's creating global excitement and that has got to be good for the game.

And of course, it means there is a few bob out there to be earned.

Our Twenty20 Cup winners get something like £42,000 but now there is another $180,000 for the shoot-out with the West Indies' Stanford 20/20 winners, Trinidad & Tobago. There is also, $100,000 on offer for the club and that is a big amount of money for any English county.

It eases the budget constraints for a while at least, so both clubs and players should be delighted at the news.

It's especially exciting for the younger players. The Stanford Super Series is a five-year deal so maybe the lads in their 30's might not be too bothered, but the likes of Joe Denly, Dawid Malan and Graham Napier will be around for the next five years and they will see this as a massive shop window.

Not only are England places up for grabs, but you're now talking about IPL and all the riches that can offer up. They have got to think of themselves as gamblers and take that plunge. All this money is something they never had in the first place, so they have really got nothing to lose.

And what that does is make the Twenty20 format, serious entertainment. Before it was just entertainment, now this is proper business.

That has to be good for the game. To the traditionalists and cynics who frown on Twenty20 and say Sir Allen Stanford's millions are bad for cricket, all I would say is if that is the case, then why are 70 countries worldwide clamouring to take the televised coverage?

It's absolute nonsense to think this is detrimental for the game. It is clearly what the public want as we have seen over here, with the grounds being packed from day one.

The amount of youngsters we see at our Twenty20 games is phenomenal and as much as they have to try and marry Twenty20, with the Test and the one-day internationals, the administrators have to make sure they get those youngsters coming back.

Being of a certain age, I can remember the last time cricket was revolutionised back in the late sixties. The game was dying on its feet and then they brought in the Gillette Cup.

Then came the John Player League on a Sunday and all of a sudden the crowds were jam-packed again. It was what the public wanted and the parallels between that and what is happening now are uncanny.

It also means a nice trip out to the Caribbean for me and my Sky Sports colleagues... hopefully! I'm not sure we will be on $1million a man like the players (although we will ask!), but the people in the West Indies love their cricket and will be passionate about this, which will make extra special.

And again, to those who say it is bad for the game, think what it will do for cricket in the Caribbean. Interest is said to be on the wane, but this will get people talking about the game, turning up for games.

We are taking the Chance to Shine programme out to schools there, the TV networks will be all over the Stanford Series, so this whole competition runs far deeper than just lining a few players' pockets.

Although I am sure you won't hear anyone from Kent, Essex, Middlesex or Durham complaining if they make that final on Saturday!

Click here for Sky Sports cricket TV schedule