BBC SPORT | Cricket | Counties | Surrey



By Ben Kunicki BBC Sport Online

In the star-studded line-up that is the Surrey team, Rikki Clarke is fast making a name for himself.

The allrounder has burst into the Surrey line-up and made the most of his chance.

And, according to several respected judges, further honours could easily beckon if his rise continues.

He definitely has a chance to mature into an England player of the future

Yorkshire captain
Darren Lehmann

His opportunity may well have come about due to the tragic death of Ben Hollioake but there is no doubt that Clarke has been worth his place.

With the bat Clarke has already contributed 587 runs, including three 50s and two centuries.

The standard of his hitting has impressed many judges and his strike-rate stands at an impressive 67 in first-class cricket so far.

In Surrey's last championship game against Yorkshire, Clarke's sparkling 56 from 57 balls included three sixes smashed off the Tykes' England spinner Richard Dawson.

A career-best 153 albeit on the batting paradise of Taunton demonstrated his power, taking only 180 balls, including 20 fours and four sixes.

Effective

Clarke bowls briskish seamers but has yet to make the same impact with the ball, although match-figures of five for 80 in the Yorkshire match hint at a gradual improvement.

He has proved more effective in the one-day game with ten wickets at 29 so far.

He's as exciting a young player as we've seen at Surrey for the past five or six seasons

Surrey coach
Keith Medlycott

He will need to continue to make progress if his future is to be as an allrounder but there is no doubt he is beginning to catch the eye of many.

At the age of 20, Clarke can no longer represent his country in age-group cricket but he is at least set for an Academy call-up, despite being omitted from the provisional list announced recently.

Surrey coach Keith Medlycott, though, has even higher ambitions for his charge.

"I'd be amazed if he doesn't go [to the Academy] and he may even catch the eye of Duncan Fletcher and Nasser Hussain."

Medlycott feels that even at this early stage, Clarke has the attributes necessary to become an England cricketer.

Clarke handed his cap by Adam Hollioake
Clarke soon received his county cap
"He's adjusted to first-class cricket really well and impressed many people," Medlycott enthuses.

"He's as exciting a young player as we've seen at Surrey for the past five or six seasons."

"I don't believe that you have to be a certain age to play for England and he's a very determined young man," he adds.

Yorkshire's captain Darren Lehmann is equally enthusiastic about Clarke after their recent encounter.

"I was really impressed with him," Lehmann says.

"He's a natural athlete and definitely has a chance to mature into an England player of the future."

Academy interest

The England Academy coach John Abrahams is aware of Clarke's potential and will have a chance to witness it first hand in the C&G Trophy semi-final at Headingley.

"I haven't seen much of him but he has performed very well over recent matches and he will be monitored and watched," Abrahams says.

"The current Academy short-list is provisional and at this stage nobody is guaranteed to go and nobody is excluded," he adds.

Clarke bowling
Clarke has leap-frogged several England U19 stars
Clarke's major success has been to establish himself in a Surrey side packed with international stars.

Although they have been weakened by England calls and injuries this season, Surrey still possess an enviable depth.

This is evidenced by the fact that young players who have featured for England U-19, unlike Clarke, have failed to have the same impact.

Michael Carberry and Tim Murtagh have not been able to break into the Surrey side, despite being highly-rated.

Carl Greenidge was one who was forced to leave after failing to dislodge any of the more experienced seamers.

The fact that Clarke has done so with aplomb is a great pointer for the future.

As of yet he has not tasted the adversity that most talented young English cricketers attract whether through injury or loss of form.

Both Surrey and England will be hoping that he does not hit those barriers for some time to come.


	Links to more Surrey stories