A WINCHESTER doctor has scaled Africa’s highest mountain to play a record-breaking cricket match at 19,000 feet.

Simon Rogers, of St Catherines Road, Highcliffe, battled extreme altitude sickness and freezing conditions to climb Mt Kilimanjaro on Saturday (Sep 27).

The 39-year-old, an optometrist at Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital, was one of 30 cricketers who took on the Mt Kili Madness challenge, raising £65,000 for charity and setting a new world record.

The crew rolled out a plastic pitch on the ice in the Tanzanian mountain’s vast crater after a “gruelling” seven-day climb to the summit. Two all-star teams, including Ashes-winner Ashley Giles and former England captain Clare Connor, played a fully umpired Twenty20 match.

“It was an amazing, amazing experience,” Simon said. “It was extraordinary.

“Trying to move around at that altitude was difficult. People started out as if they were playing at sea level, but [quick single runs] weren’t going to be an option!

Hampshire Chronicle:

The Mt Kili Madness team play the world's highest cricket match in the mountain's frozen crater

“It was a real struggle doing anything, whether it was chasing after a ball or even running between the wickets. You’re significantly short of oxygen.”

The Mt Kili Madness challenge has sparked a surge in donations for Cancer Research, Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation and Africa development charity Tusk.

But Simon said he would never try the“exhausting” challenge again.

“The actual cricket match was fun but the climb you have to do to get there is really gruelling,” he said.

“You’re walking at a snail’s pace in the dark for five hours a day.

“It’ll take a few days to feel back to normal – hopefully I won’t be too exhausted.”

Hampshire Chronicle:

Simon Rogers practices his catch with England women's cricket chief Clare Connor

The team’s new world record of 19,341 feet is around 600 feet higher than the previous record, set on Mt Everest in 2009.

Unfortunately for Simon and his captain Ashely Giles, the ‘Rhinos’ team was beaten by the ‘Gorillas’, led by England women’s vice-captain Heather Knight. Simon scored one run and bowled an over without taking a single wicket.