Former England cricketer Chris Lewis will appear in court via videolink today charged with trying to smuggle cocaine with an estimated street value of £200,000 through Gatwick Airport.

The 40-year-old former fast bowler, who played 32 Tests and 53 one-day internationals in the 1990s, was arrested last week when UK Border Agency staff found nearly 4kg of the drug in baggage which arrived on a flight from St Lucia in the Caribbean.

Lewis and basketball player Chad Kirnon, 26, were arrested after arriving on the flight together and questioned by Customs officials before being charged.

Lewis, of Bruce Road, Brent and Kirnon, of Carnegie Street, Islington, were remanded in custody by Crawley magistrates to appear via video-link at Mid-Sussex Magistrates' Court in Haywards Heath.

Lewis, who was born in Guyana, claimed 93 wickets during his England Test career and finished with a Test batting average of 23.

He retired from county cricket in 2000 because of a persistent hip injury after spells with Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Surrey but played Twenty20 for Surrey last season.