Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007

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Sports Star Challenge kicks off in London

By Sarah Polson

The second annual PartyPoker.com Sports Stars Challenge kicked off Tuesday at The Poker Den in London. Running through Friday, the Sports Star Challenge brings together players from six different sports for six heats of poker play leading up to the final table.

Football, rugby, cricket, boxing, darts and snooker will each be represented by six players from each sport. Each sport will have its own heat with the winner getting a seat at the final table.

Last year's champion, rugby player Austin Healey, will return to defend his title along with Matt Dawson and other rugby players. The footballers taking part include Ray Parlour, Tony Cascarino and Norman Whiteside.

Phil Taylor and Raymon Van Barneveld are two of the darts players selected to play, and the cricket table will include Ed Giddins, Phil Tuffnel and Rob Key. The snooker table will see legends such as Steve Davis, Willie Thorne and Matthew Stevens.

Sure to be a hard-hitting table, the boxing world will be represented by Jim Watt, Dave "Boy" McAuley and Glen McCrory among others.

The Sports Stars Challenge will once again be recorded for television and is expected to be broadcast on Sky Sports in April. Jesse May will commentate during the games with help from Steve Davis when he's not competing in his own heat.

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