Sir Allen Stanford, the man behind the world's richest cricket match, has been forced to apologise to the England team after he was pictured flirting with the players' wives and girlfriends.

The Texan billionaire has spoken with Kevin Pietersen and Matthew Prior, the England wicketkeeper, after pictures were broadcast of Stanford placing the pregnant Emily Prior on his lap and putting his arm around Alice Hunt, the girlfriend of Alastair Cook during England's warm-up match against Middlesex on Sunday.

The incident, which was also shown on the big screens at the Stanford Stadium, is said to have upset the England players although a spokesman for the billionaire says his apology has been accepted.

"He understood that the players were not particularly pleased with the incident," a spokesman said. "He called both Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior personally and they have accepted his apology."

The 58-year-old appeared to be enjoying himself, but the women were allegedly reluctant to refuse his advances because these matches culminate in the winner-takes-all clash on Saturday that could result in their other halves walking away with $1 million each. The incident was shown on the big screen at the Stanford Stadium and televised and Stuart Broad says a number of England players, in the field at the time, found the episode inappropriate.

"There were a few gobsmacked faces when it popped up on the big screen," Broad said. "I didn’t see it because I was bowling the over but I think Matt Prior had a bit of a shocked look on his face.”

An England spokesman added: "As far as we are concerned, the matter is now closed."