Akram, Afridi for St Lucia double-wicket

CASTRIES: Officials have announced teams to represent England and Zimbabwe in the inaugural Double Wicket World Cup cricket tournament next month.

Andrew Flintoff and Adam Hollioake will represent England and Heath Streak and Grant Flower will turn out for Zimbabwe, said the St. Lucia Tourist Board, organisers of the April 4-6 tournament. In the double wicket form of cricket, two players comprise a team. Other teams already announced in the tournament are Wasim Akram and Shahid Afridi of Pakistan, Carl Hooper and Chris Gayle of the West Indies and Chris Cairns and Jacob Oram of New Zealand. Officials were continuing negotiations to finalise pairs to represent India, Sri Lanka and World Cup champions Australia.

Prize money totaling Eastern Caribbean $467,000 (US $175,000) is at stake in the tournament, being organised as part of the tourist board’s sports programme. The winning team is to receive EC$174,000 (US $65,000) and the remaining money is to be divided up among the other teams, including runner-ups. The tournament will be held annually for the next 10 years as part of plans to boost sports tourism here, the tourist board said.