This swanky little resort is as hectic as ever. Aside from the permanent catwalk of mink and diamonds among the elite boutiques, and the timewarp territory of the Cresta Run, there has been World Cup skiing this weekend, a gourmet festival has ended and the annual spectacle of White Turf horse racing has begun.

Evocative posters around this five-star village celebrate 2008 as the 80th and 60th anniversaries of St Moritz staging the Winter Olympics. Meanwhile, down on the frozen lake, another milestone has been marked - the 20th anniversary of Cricket On Ice.

The British are credited with bringing most of the sport and tourism to St Moritz and, inadvertently, one distinguished Brit is responsible for the dottiest activity of all.

In 1988, David Gower - soon to be made England captain for a second time - played here in an inaugural game on the lake. It was a marketing ploy, a picture opportunity, but Gower characteristically provided more publicity than planned by sinking his car on a thin patch of ice. They talk about it to this day.

One Swiss Anglophile, however, was more impressed by the cricket than the ensuing calamity. The next week, Daniel Haering, thwarted in his skiing by a lack of snow, rounded up enough British friends to get a team together for another cricket match against his former school. It was the start of an eccentric institution.

On Saturday night, Haering hosted a dinner to celebrate two decades of his creation. It was black-tie, of course, for Haering has been devoted to British formality since his days playing Eton Fives. Four teams were present this year - three from England and the ever-present school side.

Over three previous days, watched by a few dozen curious onlookers, they had donned track-suit tops and woollen hats over their mandatory whites to play 25-overs games on a green mat, within a fenced-off circle of ice. The backdrop of snow-covered mountains was surely the most glorious ever known to cricket.

Fielding was a precarious pastime but, even with 45-yard boundaries, few fours were hit, as crusty snow applied a brake to the hard rubber ball. There were exceptions, for some serious players were present. Mike Smith, who once opened the bowling for England, took 23 off an over to help a Cheltenham Cavaliers team to a debut victory.

Saturday's first game was played in a blizzard and Haering recalled such weather only once before in 20 tournaments. But he was scandalised by the mere suggestion of stopping play.

The trophy went to Cholmeleians, the Highgate School Old Boys. They would have been pushed to a play-off by Cheltenham but Peter Scudamore, an eight-times champion jockey unrecognisable beneath three sweaters and a bobble hat, failed to score two off the last ball of a competition that may rank as one of Gower's finest, if craziest, legacies.

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