St.Moritz - world famous as a winter playground for the international jet set.

At almost 6000 feet it's a party capital with altitude, where deals are done with a glass of champagne in one hand and a chequebook in the other.

Its frozen lake offers the perfect setting for one of cricket's most unique events - Cricket On Ice - a blend of sport and business at -25 degrees celsius.

Indeed, one of the world's largest banks, UBS AD, uses the series of matches played on rolled matting on the frozen lake as an opportunity for business on the boundary line, with a glass of bubbly a prerequisite. Private banking service at its best!

Starting on Thursday, three teams will compete over as many days for the Cricket On Ice Trophy - the St.Moritz Cricket Club (British businessmen), the British Mutual XI (younger British businessmen) and the Lyceum Alpinum First XI, comprising students from one of continental Europe's most prestigeous schools.

A round robin is conducted with two matches played each day with the final on the Saturday. The Trophy will be presented to the winning capain during a gala dinner in one of the finest five star hotels of St. Moritz, the Carlton.

Skied balls are very popular giving the fielders the chance to dive across the snow covered outfield. Needless to say, gloves are essential in the sub-zero temperatures.

It all started in 1988 when a handful of British gentlemen asked students from the Lyceum Alpinum to play a game of cricket on the lake of St.Moritz - in the wintertime.

The Lyceum Aplinum, long associated with cricket in Switzerland, is the only school in continental Europe which offers cricket grounds (four) to its students.

It was the site of the first cricket match known to have been played in Swizterland, in 1924.

On the continent, the Lyceum has the standard and reputation comparable to Eton, and is reknowned for its powerful Old Boys network. The CEO of Volkswagon, Ferdinant Piech, like many other managers, is a graduate of the school, situated in the town of Zuoz, about 10 miles outside St.Moritz.

There have been seven tournaments since, with a South African Police XI competing in 1998, as well as others from London and Shrewsbury.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd