His shy demeanor belies his excitement, which is apparent only when you probe him about his forthcoming trip.

"Yes, I'm really excited about going to UK to play county cricket," says 18-year-old Yogesh Khandale, who plays cricket with the County Cricket Club in Andheri.

Khandale was recently chosen for his skills as a medium pace bowler and a middle order batsman to play County cricket in the UK.

"I am a keen observer of Sachin's game, his batting strokes are really strong but my all-time favourite player is Gary Sobers. My aim is to be an all-rounder," says the teenager, who resides on Govindrao Patil Marg in Khar.

The county cricket tournament, which begins in August, will see 22 boys from India match their cricketing skills with the boys from Blighty.

"Two teams will be playing around 14 matches," explains Khandale. "I'm gearing up for the games, as I intend to take at least five wickets in the first match," he adds.

Khandale's practise includes playing cricket twice a day. "I go to Matunga to practise net batting and bowling. I play for four hours in the morning and about two hours in the evening," explains Khandale.

No, he is not particular about his diet, but a glass of milk is mandatory. "My mother has to force me to have it, otherwise I eat whatever I can get my hands on," says Khandale.

Apart from the cricket field, Khandale has been running around the city to get sponsors for his trip over the last few weeks.

"Though I've been given the chance, I have to organize money for my ticket, visa and travel and have not found any sponsors as yet. I will be really disappointed if this doesn't work out," adds Khandale.

The total amount for his trip accrues to a whopping Rs 85,000.

Khandale, who is now a bit of a celebrity in his area, still finds the time in between his practise schedules to play with his friends. "The team I am on almost always wins," he says with a smile.

But the youngster is no stranger to success he scored his first century when he was 12. "It was one of my most memorable matches, I had gone to Azad Maidan for the game," he recalls.

While his stint as a cricket fanatic has till now only taken him as far as Lonavala and Alibag, it remains to be seen whether his dream of making it to the UK will come true.

lina@mid-day.com