PACE ace Chris Connolly is hoping to bowl over the best - and land a star cricket spot for England.

The fast bowler has already played for the under-15s national side and he has been clocked bowling at 82mph - quicker than current England star Ryan Sidebottom bowled during the recent victorious tour of New Zealand.

The six foot five inch teenager, who is a pupil at King's School in Macclesfield, Cheshire, is hoping to eventually bowl at 95mph in his bid to win a place in the England team.

His next step is to graduate to the England under-17 set up this summer.

Signed up by the Lancashire academy, Chris recently went on tour to Sri Lanka and met top England stars Monty Panesar and Matt Prior.

Chris said: "I want to bowl at 95 mph.

Fantastic trip

"It was a fantastic trip," he said.

"It must be a great life to be an international cricketer."

King's cricket coach Steve Moores, the brother of England coach Peter Moores, said: "He is the fastest bowler I have seen at King's in the last 30 years.

"But not only does he have pace, he has control as well.

"He has as good a chance of making it as any player I have seen here, but of course it all depends on how he matures from now both physically and mentally.

"Part of the Lancashire Academy, he is certainly in the right place to develop his talents."

Chris, who trains with Lancashire twice a week under the wing of coach Terry Holt, represents Ellworth in the South Cheshire and North Staffordshire League and will open the bowling for King's this summer.