Lennox Cush?s career hit rock bottom in 2004 when he was omitted from Guyana?s regional cricket team shortly after his alleged involvement in a public brawl with team-mates Mahendra Nagamootoo and Nagamootoo Vishal.

Yet those unpleasant memories would be forgotten two years later with one mighty swing from the bat of Narsingh Deonarine that landed Guyana the inaugural Stanford 20/20 title ? and the cool $1m jackpot that came along with victory.

Now Cush has a new lease on life and is $90,000 richer, having received his share of the Stanford bounty and an additional $10,000 for a massive six against Grenada in the semi-final that earned him play of the match.

?I think Stanford has done a real good job trying to help develop cricket in the West Indies. I think the advertising he did was professionally done and the entire tournament was well run,? said Cush, who is currently enjoying the best of two worlds as he is also eligible to play for adopted homeland USA.

?Apart from the fact Guyana won a million dollars, to me I think it is more important to have become a part of history as the first team to win the 20/20 tournament,? he continued.

?The competition was very lucrative and I have played in many different places over a period of time, yet never earned that much money before.?

The right-handed early order bat and off break spinner is also a resident of New York.

?I?ve been a resident of the US for the longest while and I have been asked to play for them over a period of time. But because of my commitment with West Indies cricket I chose not to,? Cush explained.

?But I received a good offer, and decided to make the transition and come up here and play for the US. This is my first time with the team and I know a couple of the players.

?And so far I enjoy being around my new team-mates who are from many different parts of the world. They respect me and I just let them know that I am no different from them also. I let them know that I am one of them and here to lend assistance and hopefully fit in well.?

Cush first represented Guyana at the youth level in 1993 before breaking into the senior national team three years later.

However, his ascent in the sport was halted in 1998 when he was involved in a freak accident that kept him sidelined for two years.

?I was just playing around and dislocated my knee fully,? Cush painfully recalled. ?I had to have major knee reconstructive surgery.?

During the long road to recovery, Cush was able to draw inspiration from those who doubted he would ever return to the crease.

?A lot of people wrote me off, but I did my work and gradually worked my way back,? he added.

Cush went on to earn a call to the West Indies ODI squad, and spent several years playing professionally in the UK with Essex and Kent and in the Lancashire League.

?I think it is harder playing cricket in the West Indies,? he said. ?But playing in England is also tough because you are the professional and so everyone expects a lot from you.

?In the US cricket is getting there. And I think the talent is definitely there.?

Cush also played under Bermuda coach Gus Logie for the West Indies ?A? team.

Describing the attributes of Logie, Cush said: ? Gus is a marvellous person. A very good coach and a very honest person who always encourages those around him to do good.

?I?ve never heard anything negative come from Gus, and I think he?s the right man for Bermuda cricket having replaced another good man, Mark Harper, for the job.

?With Gus? experience I think he demands more respect from the players.?

Cush, however, has yet to break into the Windies ODI or Test teams. And at age 31, time, perhaps, is running out.

Yet he refuses to give up hope.

?I think the key to making the West Indies team is to score runs, perform well and keep your discipline level high,? Cush said.

?And I think the reason for me not getting in is not because I am not capable. . . but that I was not consistent when I was there. I got a couple of low scores and then got injured at a time when things looked good for me.?

Cush has scored 1,249 runs in 38 first class matches with a high score of 154, and has taken 26 wickets with a best of four for 57 .

Aside from cricket, he also owns and runs real-estate businesses in Guyana and the US, businesses he intends to pump his Stanford 20/20 earnings into.

?I buy up a lot of property and then sell,? he explained. ?But cricket has given me what I have today. And I thank God for my ability and also for helping me and my family because we weren?t always so fortunate growing up.?