SCOTT Harvey is to put his education on hold as he pursues his ambition of becoming a professional cricketer.

The talented teenager, who lives in Ipswich and has just finished taking his ‘A’ Levels at St Joseph’s College, will spend the winter in Australia and be based in Perth for six months playing first grade cricket for Subiaco Marist CC.

Scott, who celebrates his 18th birthday at the end of this month, said the trip had been organised through Mark Patterson, the college’s director of sport who used to play for Surrey and Ireland.

“I am planning to go to university, but I am taking a year out first to go to Australia from the end of September.

“Mark has sorted it out for me. He went out there when he was a youngster and still knows a lot of contacts out there.”

Scott has established himself in the Suffolk side this season after graduating from last season’s Development XI.

The left-handed batsman made his senior debut in the friendly against Essex 2nd XI at the start of the season before playing in three of Suffolk’s four group games in the Minor Counties KO Trophy.

He has figured in all three of Suffolk’s Minor Counties Championship matches so far, and in the last match against Buckinghamshire at Ipswich School was joined by fellow St Joseph’s College student Matt Hunn, who was making his debut.

The pair, who spent several weeks training with the Essex Academy at Billericay at the start of the season, are believed to be the first students to be selected for Suffolk whilst still at the same school since Ipswich School’s Martin Holland and Richard Robinson back in 1993 – the year Scott was born!

Scott used to live in Soham, but his family moved to Ipswich when he was 11 years old and he has since played for the county at every age group.

He said: “I started out as a leg spinner at under-12 level, but worked hard on my batting when I was an under-14 and under-15 player.”

His progress saw him step up from playing Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship cricket to the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League when he joined Bury St Edmunds last season.

So how has he found the step up to Minor Counties cricket this summer?

“After being around the players at Bury St Edmunds, several of whom play for the county, I have found it quite easy to come into the Suffolk set up.

“Minor Counties cricket is much more tactical and there is more off-the-field planning that goes into a three-day game. We have pre-match discussions about how to overcome our opponents, and how to play each bowler we will face.

“The standard is higher because everyone in the team can field well, whereas in the EAPL teams may be carrying one or two players.

“I have learned a lot from just being around these guys – I have learned more about technique by just watching my team mates batting which can hopefully improve my own game.

“Tom Huggins is probably the best example – he likes to attack and hits the ball a long way – and is the best batsman I have played with along with Hassan Adnan, who is a different type of player in that he builds his innings in much the same way as I do.

“I believe that if you work hard on your game when you are young you can continue to move forward quite quickly. Hopefully I can keep improving and push on.

“My ambition is to play first-class cricket. Now that my ‘A’ Levels are out of the way I am trying to train as much as possible and take each opportunity that comes along,” he added.