Conquering Everest

A group of 18 professional and amateur British cricketers are trying to set a world record for holding the world's highest match at the foot of Mount Everest.

"Three teams are planning to play six aside on the mountain, playing five overs each on the Gorak Shap glacier," Andrew Baud, a spokesman for the Professional Cricketers Association (PCA), told AFP.

The glacier-turned-cricket ground is at an altitude of 5,184 metres (17,000 feet), and just below base camp on the southern approach to Everest, the world's highest peak.

"They are taking 40 spare balls up there I can imagine they will need them," Baud said. "At normal altitude it would take about an hour, but it can get as low as minus 13 degrees Celsius (nine degrees Fahrenheit) so it may take around two.

Nick Compton, Graham Napier, Mark Wagh, Ryan Cummins and Steven Patterson are the five professionals to join the party.

"It will be an amazing feat to just reach Everest base camp, let alone to play a cricket match there," Richard Bevan, the PCA's chief executive, said. "Of course, we will have to overcome some practical problems such as losing lots of balls. For their own safety, we'll also have to ensure that the bowlers don't take too long a run up.

"The trek and match will raise much needed money for the PCA Benevolent Fund through which we support current and former players in times of hardship or illness."