PROMISING cricketer Damian Shirazi has become the first Southampton Institute student to ever be selected for a British Universities sports squad.

The left-handed batsman and medium pace bowler, pictured above, was flying out today with the British Universities squad for a two-week tour of South Africa.

The 20-year-old from Dibden Purlieu, who is studying Sports Science at the Institute, won selection after a record-breaking 2003.

He not only helped BAT win the Southern Premier League by scoring over 500 runs, he also broke the record for the most runs scored in a season (1,326) by a member of the MCC Young Cricketers side.

Shirazi, who is based at Lord's during the summer on the MCC Groundstaff, and is currently on the Institute's Sports Scholarship Programme, joins 13 other players from universities across the country, the majority of whom are on professional contracts with first-class counties.

The squad is captained by Hampshire cricket batsman Jimmy Adams (Loughborough UCCE) while Bournemouth's Tom Webley (Cambridge UCCE), who played for Somerset in 2003, is also included.

Shirazi, who impressed while on trial with Kent 2nds last year, said: "The key thing is that I did not come from one of the six University Cricket Centres but from a regular higher education institution. This tour is a great opportunity - it could lead to a professional contract."

Shirazi added: "I wouldn't be in this position without their Sports Scholarship as it has allowed me to balance my studies with my sport."