Delray Rawlins, the young Bermuda all-rounder, has joined the Bede’s Senior School Emerging Talent Programme in southern England.

The programme was founded last year by former England batsman Alan Wells, Bede’s director of cricket, and former Great Britain No 1 women’s tennis player Julie Salmon, Bede’s director of tennis.

It is a one-of-a-kind elite sports development programme open to athletes competing at a minimum of county and or academy level.

The programme contains a number of under-18 England players in different sports, including Alicia Caillard, hockey, cricketer Fyn Hudson-Prentice and footballer Kellie Larkin.

ETP candidates are only selected if they are considered to have the potential for a career playing professional sport.

The Bermuda Cricket Board confirmed yesterday that 17-year-old Rawlins had been selected to the programme, where great emphasis is placed on both sports and academics.

The school is set in 140 acres in the Sussex Downs and is a co-educational independent school for 13 to 19 year olds.

Presently, the school has 750 students, with over 300 of them boarding at one of the five boarding houses.

Rawlins will have the benefit of extra classes, including specialist cricket and fitness, strength and conditioning training, nutrition and access to a sports psychologist.

Recently, Rawlins was given financial assistance by his club Bailey’s Bay along with six other Bay youngsters who are studying abroad.

Rawlins received $5,000 to assist with his schooling in England.

“On behalf of the Board I would like congratulate Delray on this excellent achievement,” Lloyd Fray, the Bermuda Cricket Board president, said.

“To be selected to this programme after only starting at Bedes in September is a testament to his talent, character and dedication to cricket. We wish Delray the best of luck this term and look forward to seeing how he progresses with this outstanding opportunity.”

Rawlins has enjoyed plenty of success this season, making his debut in Cup Match for St George’s at the age of 16, where he scored 55 from 58 balls in the first innings and claimed three wickets in the match with his left-arm spin.