Tim's up with the best in the UK

TIM RAVENSCROFT has been identified as one of the most exciting batting prospects in the UK. The Elizabeth College student has been selected onto the English Cricket Board's elite batting academy.

The programme sees the best 48 under-17s in England come under intense training from the top ECB coaches.

It is a remarkable achievement for Ravenscroft considering that he turned 15 only at the end of last month.

'It's a great opportunity for Tim to progress his cricketing career to the level that we know he can get to,' said Guernsey Cricket Board's development coach Jason Shambrook.

'It's great for all the coaches who have worked with him in the past and seen him progress. And it's our intention to get as many people as we can to reach that level.'

The scheme is broken down into the four regions with Raven-scroft among the west group.

He is due to attend the first of five sessions at Taunton School next weekend.

Tony Middleton, who is Ravenscroft's coach at Hampshire, is in charge of the Taunton sessions.

During the 2006 season, Ravenscroft hit more than 1,000 runs for Guernsey and the Channel Islands.

His top score is 196 not out which he got against Dorset and he has scored 15 county- standard centuries since he started playing at 10 years of age.

His performances have seen him welcomed into the Hampshire Cricket Academy.

At the end of March he will tour the West Indies with the West of England squad.

The regional side will take on Barbados and Trinidad under 16 teams.

'Tim is away every other weekend for cricket and it is testament to his dedication that he has been selected onto the elite programme and onto the West of England tour to the Caribbean,' said Shambrook.

* THE GCA annual meeting will be held at the Wicked Wolf next Thursday at 7.30pm.