MOVE over Nasser! Prestwich cricketer Ian Walker is to lead his country in the Indoor Cricket World Cup.

The 34-year-old has been chosen to skipper England for the eight-day tournament in Wellington, New Zealand, at the start of October.

Ian has had an excellent season for the Prestwich club, scoring 638 runs in the league and cup at an average of 42.53, and earning the man of the match award in the Walkden Cup Final when he steered his side to victory with an unbeaten 85.

He is also the leading wicketkeeper in the Lancashire County League, having claimed 43 victims this season, with one game to go.

Ian will be behind the stumps again when he faces the likes of India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia, and home nation New Zealand.

He sets off next Friday where they will play a few warm-up matches before the tournament begins.

While most cricketers put their bat and ball in hibernation during the winter, Ian is busy playing indoor cricket for the "Stumps of Aston Villa"in Birmingham. They have been National League champions and also winners of the British Open Cup for five out of the last six years.

The indoor game consists of 16 eight-ball overs per side. Each team consists of eight players who must bowl two overs each. Batsmen bat in pairs for four overs, with each wicket lost resulting in five runs being deducted off the total.

Some county players have played the game, such as Mike Gatting, Gladstone Small, Dominic Ostler and Keith Piper.

Ian said: "I am really looking forward to the trip. It is the first time we have been able to send our strongest side, as we have always had one or two missing in the past.

"I would like to think we can reach the semi-finals, and then anything can happen from there."

Ian has also been generously sponsored to help fund his three-week trip by Prestwich Cricket, Tennis and Bowling Club, and Ryalux.

But win or lose, Ian will have a more pressing matter on his mind when he returns as his wife is expecting their second child at the end of the year.