International Cricket Captain announced for PS2, PSP

The developer of International Cricket Captain 2006, Chris Child, has announced that the World Cup version of the game will be released on the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable, as well as for the PC. Speaking at a launch event for the game at Lord's, the spiritual home of cricket, he also indicated that the game may also be released on a next-generation console, with the Xbox 360 the most likely candidate.

International Cricket Captain 2006 will be released for the PC in the UK on June 16, and the World Cup versions of the game for the consoles will be timed to coincide with the ICC event, taking place in the West Indies, in March and April next year. There will also be an Ashes version so that cricket fans can see if their management decisions in the traditional battle between England and Australia reap greater rewards than their real-life equivalents.

The latest edition of the International Cricket Captain series, which started in 1998, is endorsed by Kevin Pietersen, the South Africa-born star of the current England cricket team. Pietersen said that although he hadn't yet played the game, he'd definitely "have a proper look at it" when he had a chance. It won't be during the rain breaks in any matches this summer though, as according to Pietersen, the team isn't allowed any technology in the dressing room--a pack of cards is all they are allowed for entertainment.