BASINGSTOKE cricketer George Metzger will spend a week of training and matches for England Under-19 Young Lions Squad from this Saturday.

The Queen Mary's College student and Hampshire Academy star received a phone call from David Graveney a few weeks back informing him he was in the squad.

This is based at Loughborough and will see matches against Gloucestershire seconds; Scotland Academy, Ireland Academy and Bath CC.

Metzger only just turned 17, three weeks ago he will be one of the younger players in squad.

The teenager was in South Africa in February with Hampshire Academy and since November, QMC have given him Thursdays off to train with all the Hampshire professionals and being coached by fellow wicketkeepers Tom Alsop and Michael Bates all winter.

Behind the stumps he has been facing Hampshire bowlers Gareth Berg, Chris Wood and Ryan Stevenson.

The top order batsman has also been in the nets with Hampshire's new signing Sam Northeast, who top scored with 169 as Hampshire opened their County Championship campaign this week with an innings victory over Essex.

They started their next game at home to Yorkshire on April 11.