Alec Stewart: 'I was unaware such a league existed and I was going to join' © Getty Images

Alec Stewart, the former England batsman, has rubbished reports that he has signed up to play professional cricket in America this summer.

American Pro Cricket (APC) today unveiled some big-name signings for the first-ever professional league of its kind, involving local teams from eight different cities, including two English players, Stewart and Andy Caddick.

However, Stewart, 41, claimed that was the first he had heard of it. "Don't believe everything you read," he said. "I was unaware such a league existed and I was going to join."

It was a similar story from Caddick, the England fast bowler, who also didn't know anything about the new American league. Somerset confirmed that Caddick would not be playing in the USA, and that he had no idea he had been touted to play in the first place.

The official 2004 season is scheduled to begin on Friday, July 2, with New York Storm take on Florida Thunder.