By Thrasy Petropoulos

Two years ago Rikki Clarke set himself the modest summer goal of cementing his place in Surrey's 2nd XI.

I played my first men's game - for Godalming 3rd XI - when I was only 10 Rikki Clarke

Now he finds himself talking about the possibility of forcing his way into England's Test and one-day sides.

The 21-year-old Surrey all-rounder has always believed that he would become an international cricketer, but even he cannot quite believe the speed of his elevation.

A century on his first-class debut against Cambridge University in May last year, was followed by a championship best of 153 not out against Somerset.

By September he was part of the England squad for the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka.

And the remainder of the winter was spent with the national academy in Adelaide and, once again, in Sri Lanka.

"I have always been an optimistic player but I never imagined I would be playing at such a high level so quickly," he said.

Such was impression made last summer than there are already predictions that Clarke will be fast-tracked into the one-day side as England rebuild towards the next World Cup.

In a sense, however, international cricket for Clarke started when he first played for Surrey.

"I look around the dressing room and see 15-odd internationals," he said.

"There is good advice everywhere but the nice thing about the club is that they all enjoy your success and push you forward.

"I always thought that eventually I would play for England. It is something I have wanted since I was nine.

"I have always played above my age group. I played my first men's game - for Godalming 3rd XI - when I was only 10.

"Even at that age, when I was more of a bowler than a batsman, everyone said that I could go the whole way."

Under the guidance of Academy director Rod Marsh, Clarke set out to rise beyond the haphazard standards that can sometimes be enough to succeed at county level.

Clarke has beneffited from Rod Marsh's guidance

"If there were two things that I learnt from Rod Marsh it was the importance of fitness and how highly to value your wicket," he said.

"I did well last season but I also played some ridiculous shots."

And if his contrasting efforts against Sri Lanka A over the winter were a measure of his progress, he certainly became a more rounded cricketer.

In the drawn second "Test" against in Colombo, he ground out an important 52 from 125 balls, followed immediately by a free-scoring 47 not out from 32 balls in first one-dayer.

Ahead of him, however, lies perhaps his sternest test to date - a second season of county cricket.

"I've been told by quite a few people that to follow a successful first season is one of the hardest things to do," he said.

"I suppose I'll be out to prove those people wrong."