CRICKET prospect David Payne flies to Bangladesh today with the aim of making a name for himself on the international stage.

Payne, of Lytchett Matravers, is part of the England under-19 squad which is set to play a test match and seven one-day internationals against their hosts during the next month.

The 18-year-old left-arm seamer enjoyed a good season in the Southern League with Bournemouth, where he plies his trade while progressing through the ranks at first-class county Gloucestershire.

Now the former Lytchett Minster School pupil has set his sights on playing regularly for his country.

He told the Echo: "I've signed a new deal with Gloucestershire and that's where I wanted to start.

"Hopefully I will stay there for two years and get re-contracted, then hopefully in a few years I can get in and around the England squads and the Lions. That is a long way away but that would be the aim."

Payne has been with Bournemouth for two seasons after moving from Parley and he helped the Chapel Gate outfit to national Twenty20 glory last month.

"I made the move to Bournemouth because I wanted the Southern League standard of cricket," he explained.

"It was brilliant to win the Twenty20 and great to do it with a really young side. Our average age was about 20 or 21, so to win was a brilliant day."

Payne, who is hoping to feature in January's under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, played three one-day games for Gloucestershire this summer.

He took one wicket on debut at the Rose Bowl, before claiming two at Headingley and three at Trent Bridge, where he dismissed former England stars Chris Read and Mark Ealham, both for ducks.