HAVING played since he was just four-years-old and in the senior ranks from the age of 12, it is no surprise that talented cricketer Alex Davies takes eve-rything in his stride.

Most youngsters his age might be a little daunted to be hand picked for an elite squad who have the ‘pot-ential to become the wor-ld’s best players’ but not this level-headed QEGS pupils.

Davies, now 16, has come up through the ranks at Darwen Cricket Club, has represented Lancashire at every age level and has played for England U15s.

So selection for the ECB Development Programme is seen as something of a stepping stone in his young career.

“Playing from such a young age and playing against players who are much older than me has certainly helped,” said Davies who is studying for his A levels. “Cricket has always been a part of my life so I am lucky enough to take most things in my stride.”

Cricket certainly is in the blood in the Davies household. Dad Chris is a long-serving player at Birch Hall - mainly a second team player accor-ding to his son - while his mother Mandy is involved in the junior section.

His younger brot-her Reece, 13, also plays for Darwen and Lancashire while four-year-old Jack is another all-rounder in the making.

Despite his tender years, Davies could be classed as something of a veteran at Darwen - although even he was too young to have played in the club’s most recent success, winning the Northern League title in 2003. Instead, his club highlights include helping the side beat Morecambe to lift the Readers Cup.

“I was too young when Darwen won the league a few years ago but I helped them win the league cup this season and that has certainly been my high light so far at the club.

“I was glad that I also made a telling contrib-ution,” added Davies who scored 45 in the victory over Morecambe. “We were 10 for two at one stage and had to rebuild the innings so it was nice to have played my part.”

As regards to his sele-ction on to the ECB Deve-lopment Programme, it is another rung up the ladder in an already prom-ising career.

“Naturally I am very proud to have got on the ECB Develoment Progra-mme as I know it is a great chance for me to progress. But I am not taking any- thing for granted “I know there is a very long way to go but this is certainly a route in to one day perhaps playing for England - and as a crick-eter that is what you want to do.”

Davies has already been on a couple of taster ses-sions at Loughborough be-fore the hard work begins - including a number of ‘performance under pres-sure’ camps.

“I think that is to see how we get on in game situ-ations and we deal with it.

“While it is a three-year programme we are all reviewed every six months which is good because it means you just can’t go through the motions.”

Alex has been in fine form with the bat for both his school and club.

As well as that impre-ssive 45 for Darwen in the Northern League Readers Cup final, he scored an unbeaten 126 for QEGS against the 40 Club.

While Davies, a talented wicket keeper, classes himself as an all-rounder, he admits he may have to hang up his gloves to further his career.

“It’s important to have two strings to your bow so I want to carry on wicket keeping for as long as I can. But if I have to give it up to make it to the next level then that is something I am prepared to do.”

He has already shown how committed he is by stop playing football to concentrate on cricket.

Should everything go to plan, Davies should be heading to South Africa next year with the ECB squad to play in five, one-day matches and two Twenty20s against the host nation.

But Davies is not putting all his eggs in to one basket - and has altern-ative plans.

“There is a chance something may not come of it and it may not work out,” he said. “But I know I always have Lancashire to concentrate on and perhaps getting in to international cricket that way.”

From a talented tod-dler to England pot-ential, Davies is certainly taking everything in his stride.