Stanford apologises to KP, Prior

London:

Allen Stanford has apologised to England cricketers after pictures of him putting wicketkeeper Matt Prior's wife on his lap during the Twenty20 Super Series, bankrolled by the Texas billionaire, left the players "gobsmacked".

Stanford was sitting among the players' wives and girlfriends enclosure during their Sunday win over Middlesex when he was pictured with Prior's wife Emily in his lap and his arms around the girlfriends of Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen.

The images were flashed on the big screen during the match, leaving Prior "shocked".

"He understood that the players were not particularly pleased with the incident. He called both Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior personally and they have accepted his apology," a Stanford spokesman was quoted as saying by the 'BBC'.

The 58-year-old's actions were deemed inappropriate by English cricketers with one un-named player saying that he would have "punched" Stanford had he dared to touch his wife.

"If that was my wife and he put her in his lap I would have wanted to punch him," the player said.

Pacer Stuart Broad said the entire team was stunned when the pictures were flashed on the big screen during the match.

"There were a few gobsmacked faces when it popped up on the big screen. Matt was in state of total shock, especially as his wife is pregnant," he said.

But with Stanford apologising, the English team management has decided to leave the matter behind.

"As far as we are concerned, the matter is now closed," a team spokesman said.

The Super Series winner will earn USD one million.