THE son of a former Okehampton rugby player is making quite a name for himself 'Down Under' on the cricket field.

Sam Hain, aged 14 — whose father Bryan used to play for the Okes and went on to captain Plymouth Albion before emigrating — has batted his way to a place in the Australian national U16s side.

He is now due to play for the 'baggy green caps' against the West Indies later this year.

His remarkable ability as a batsman has already established him in the Queensland U15s state side, where he displays composure and maturity well beyond his years.

Back in Okehampton his proud grandparents Eddie and Ann Hain are following Sam's progress, along with their other grandchildren, his twin brother George and elder brother Rory, 16, with interest.

Ann said: 'He's been playing against boys a year or two older than him and now against men and he's done really well.

'Sam has worked very hard on his cricket and when other boys want to go to the beach he will stay out practising, so he deserves his success.

'We are really proud of him.'

He has already made his top grade debut for Mudgeeraba-Nerang, where Sam scored an impressive 34 not out against Coomera-Hope Island, but not before 'helping' to run out his captain-coach Cameron Garnham.

In a newspaper article headlined 'Teenage Sam-sensation' in the Gold Coast Bulletin, Cameron said: 'He's not a big guy. Some of the young players that do really well often bully their way through because they are bigger than the rest and hit their way to boundaries but Sam isn't big, he really builds his innings.

'He has an old head on young shoulders.'

Sam and his brothers receive total encouragement towards sporting excellence from their parents Bryan and Debi.

His dad is the director of sports at The Southport School on the Gold Coast, Queensland, where Sam attends. In a very sportingly, competitive school Sam, at just 14, has earned himself a place in the TSS cricket first team.

Grandparents Eddie and Ann are looking forward to seeing Sam soon, as he is lined up on a pupil exchange scheme with a school in Edinburgh.

Although he is due to play for Australia and was born in Hong Kong, Ann said, that with English parents and English grandparents, young Sam still has an ambition to play for England — just don't tell the Aussies!