WELSHMAN Craig Raymond was surprised to receive a late call-up for the England Counties squad to tour Chile later this month.

The Berkshire captain and former Tadley player-coach has been named to replace Andy Lee, who has had to withdraw through work commitments.

Raymond said this week: "It was a bit of a surprise because of my age - I'm 33 - and the fact that I'm Welsh."

Although he had been a member of the Welsh development squad almost ten years ago while he was at Bath, he was able to satisfy the England selectors that he had never played for Wales, Wales A or Wales B, which would have ruled him out.

Raymond has just made the decision to return to his first English club, Aldermaston, who have just won promotion to Berks, Bucks and Oxon division one.

He decided to leave Tadley after three seasons for personal reasons and increased work commitments - he is a policeman at AWE Aldermaston.

In the season just finished, Raymond was the leading points scorer both for Tadley and Berkshire.

In four County Championship Shield matches, the fly-half accounted for 43 of Berkshire's 73 points scored, helping them to promotion to the top-flight 16 counties next season after a Twickenham final against Warwickshire. He scored a try in Berkshire's 34-12 defeat.

Raymond, who is 5ft 11in and weighs 14 stone, made his county debut in 1990, against Hampshire, and represented the London Division in tour matches against Argentina and South Africa A in 1996.

Llanelli-born, his most successful years were at London Welsh.

"I played there for five or six very enjoyable seasons and broke nearly every record in the club," he said.

He is assembling with the 26-strong England Counties squad today for four days of training at RAF Cosford.

Their three matches in South America start tomorrow week against the Chilean Northern Region in Vina del Mar. Three days later, the Chilean Southern Region are the opponents in Concepcion.

The tour climax is a Test match against the Chile national team in Santiago on Saturday, June 29.

Raymond said: "My ambition now is to get into the Test side. I'd be really really chuffed then."

England Counties manager Rob Udwin said: "Craig is an experienced player and goal-kicker and we believe he is the right man for the job."