London: England captain Nasser Hussain and New Zealand counterpart Stephen Fleming will lead Britain and the Rest of the World respectively for two indoor matches at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium - the first of their kind ever staged in the northern hemisphere.
Best known as the home of the Welsh rugby union, the stadium's retractable roof will be closed and floodlights switched on for two 'power cricket' matches on Friday and Saturday. Power cricket differs from conventional forms of the game in that a match consists of four 15-over innings. And should any of the big-hitters on either side belt the ball off the specially installed artificial pitch and into the upper tiers of the stands, they will earn 'bonus' runs for their side. There will be Pounds 50,000 ($ 78,500) 'winner takes all' prize money on offer. Among those confirmed in the world squad are India paceman Javagal Srinath, Sri Lanka spinner Muthiah Muralitharan, Pakistan great Wasim Akram as well as former West Indies quick Courtney Walsh. Fleming said, "I'm delighted to lead such a brilliant squad. We are all looking forward to playing under lights and the stadium's retractable roof. So it's great that we won't have to worry about the weather." Hussain, who has had a series of hand injuries in recent seasons, has been criticised for risking his fitness in an 'exhibition' fixture just weeks before England's first match of their Ashes tour of Australia on October 22 at Lilac Hill. Other members of the 16-man Ashes squad who will hope to come through their Cardiff experience unscathed ahead of the first Test in Brisbane November 7 are batsmen John Crawley and Robert Key, wicket-keeper James Foster and fast bowler Simon Jones. The teams: Britain: Nasser Hussain, (captain), Alistair Brown, Dominic Cork, John Crawley, Robert Croft, Mark Ealham, Matthew Fleming, James Foster (wicket- keeper), David Fulton, Adam Hollioake, Ronnie Irani, Simon Jones, Robert Key, Matthew Maynard, Martin Saggers, Robin Smith. Rest of the World:Stephen Fleming (captain), Shahid Afridi, Mushtaq Ahmed, Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Andy Flower (wicket-keeper), Mahela Jayawardene, Amjad Khan, Azhar Mahmood, Muthiah Muralitharan, Aravinda de Silva, Kumar Sangakkara (wicket-keeper), Yuvraj Singh, Javagal Srinath, Courtney Walsh.
Tags: cricket, london, england captain nasser hussain, new zealand, stephen fleming, britain, rest of the world, cardiff's millennium stadium, welsh rugby union, alistair brown, dominic cork, john crawley, robert croft, mark ealham, matthew fleming, james foster, david fulton, adam hollioake, ronnie irani, simon jones, robert key, matthew maynard, martin saggers, robin smith, shahid afridi, mushtaq ahmed, wasim akram, saeed anwar, nathan astle, shane bond, andy flower, mahela jayawardene, amjad khan, azhar mahmood, muthiah muralitharan, aravinda de silva, kumar sangakkara, yuvraj singh, javagal srin.
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