TWO North Hampshire cricketers are heading to Sri Lanka next week to play for England Over-50s in an international One Day tournament.

Hampshire over-50s stars, seam bowler Keith Harsham and spin-king Kevin Poulter, are both honoured and excited to be playing cricket for England for the first time.

The tournament in Sri Lanka will be made up eight teams and includes the likes of Pakistan, India and the hosts, with all them set to have many players with first class cricket experience.

Pakistan are set to include former Test captain and opening batsman Aamer Sohail, who played 47 Tests, as well as spin bowler Akram Raza who played in 49 ODIs.

The England side will be made up of cricketers from right across the country and one of these will be Poulter who lives in Brookvale.

The 54-year-old started playing cricket at Basingstoke and North Hants as colt and then went onto play for the first team.

He then played for Basics Polhill, who then merged with Hook to form Hook and Newnham Basics, where the spinner now plays his cricket.

Poulter is really looking forward to the trip and the dry dusty wickets should suit his bowling.

He said : “It is going to be the trip of a lifetime and as a team we do not know how well we will do, but we have some good players helped by the over-50s county championship in this country. I have been training hard and now can’t wait to pull on an England shirt.”

They had expected to play all their games in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, but now will also get the chance to play in Kandy.

Poulter’s England teammate Harsham lives in Alton, but has been at Basingstoke and North Hants since 1988 and is now a level three coach at the club, coaching the colts.

The 58-year-old seam bowler could well open England’s bowling attack and knows conditions in Sri Lanka will be tough, but is really looking forward to the challenge.

Harsham said: “I have been in the gym every other day and know it will be tough. I will just make sure I focus on my line and length. It is great to be playing for England and I am going to enjoy every minute.”