Robin Smith, the man of the tournament when England retained the Hong Kong Sixes title a decade ago, has advised Dimitri Mascarenhas and Chris Tremlett to enjoy the weekend - on and off the field.

Former Hampshire captain Smith helped England win the 1994 Hong Kong Sixes.

Smith said: "I loved it, I remember the weekend as the first time I shared a drink with Merv Hughes.

"Throughout our careers we had only spoken to each other when he was giving me a mouthful of abuse out in the middle, but in Hong Kong we got to know each other for the first time.

"We've had plenty of beers since then, it's just a shame that we couldn't have started our friendship ten years earlier.

"We played seriously, there were a lot of very good players involved, but the evenings were very informal - it was a wonderful opportunity to get to know other players.

"Chris and Dimi will have a great time, it's a chance for them to play against and socialise with some of the best players in the world."

Smith was man of the tournament for his performances at the Kowloon CC - despite playing as a wicketkeeper.

He added: " I couldn't bowl so I kept wicket and held on to a few catches. I was disappointed not to be in the squad the next year after doing so well, but the tournament was a great format and the hospitality was fantastic, as you would expect in Hong Kong.

"It's also a wonderful ground but Chris will be a handful on the wicket, as long as he stays patient. As a bowler you can't afford to get frustrated.

"You have to accept that there will be a lot of boundaries because there are only four fielders.

"Every other ball will go for four but when they bat the key will be for Chris and Dimi to channel their aggression. It's not about brute strength, there's no point in hitting every ball as hard as they can.

"But they will need to target certain areas, because the lack of fielders means there are plenty of gaps

"It's only a small ground but the crowds are about 6-7,000 and they'll both love the atmosphere.

"It's right up Dimi's street and he really deserves his chance.

"It's great he's been given the opportunity, he's proven he's one of the best one-day players and I'm thrilled he's going to be out there.

"I'm proud of both of them."