Hampshire Academy prospect Joe Weatherley shone for England Under-17s on the recent Development Programme tour to Sri Lanka.

He was named man-of-the-match in the opening ODI victory, scoring 98 and featuring in a double-century partnership, which set up England’s 41-run win.

The King Edward VI student, who top scored with 45 in the third ODI, finished as England’s leading run scorer on the 21-day trip, which also included a drawn three-day match against Sri Lanka Under-17s.

Weatherley and fellow Hampshire prospect spinner Brad Taylor both played well in Sri Lanka, where temperatures soared in to the mid-thirties.

“It was a fantastic experience to taste sub-continental culture and conditions, though it was very, vey hot, with 80-90 per cent humidity,” he said.

“Brad bowled consistently well throughout the whole tour.”

Weatherley said that the 16-man England squad had trained hard during their stay in Colombo.

“The first week or so was an acclimatisation period – mainly training and netting. “We had heaps of Sri Lanka net bowlers bowling at us in the practice sessions, and the nets were very good.

“We hosted a community project day during the first week, where we played loads of games with orphan kids and just spent the day with them really. “We helped raise about £6,000 to their charity, which was very rewarding for everyone and well received.”

Weatherley had planned to play his first game of the season on English soil at Burridge today, where he was due to captain the Hampshire Academy.

“But it looks as though I’ll be catching up on my school work,” he laughed.

Weatherley’s next taste of international action should come against Pakistan Under-17s at Loughborough later this summer.