TOP Bermuda youth cricketer Stephen Outerbridge has urged local players to grab any chance they get to play overseas, having just returned from a valuable learning experience with a world-renowned cricket club.

The former skipper of the Bermuda under-19 national team enjoyed a seven-week stint at Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), based at the Lord's ground in London, England, and he reportedly made quite an impression.

He came back with an MCC century to his name and a place in a place in a London college that he plans to take up later this summer.

It was up to others to give their appraisal on his performances, Outerbridge said, and he added that it was a worthwhile trip and definitely one that contributed to his maturity as a player.

"Yes, I loved it. England is a great place for cricket, MCC is tops and it was a pleasure to get in a few matches with their youth team," he said.

"Since I wasn't signed up with them I didn't play too often, but I got the chance to play with other clubs in the London area and the experience was tremendous. I would encourage any other young Bermudian to jump at the chance at similar opportunities."

The highlight of his stay came when he scored a century for the MCC team and he reached the 20s in his other three innings. However, he didn't get much chance to bowl with the MCC team, nor with the other teams in the area he played with.

Another highlight came when, with the help of efforts by MCC officials, he was entered into a college in London.

The Bermuda Cricket Board of Control, who initiatiated the arrangements to have the Bailey's Bay all-rounder join 15 players from other countries ranging between the ages of 17 and 21, were just as thrilled.

And the Board have vowed that similar offers could be in the making for others in the attempt to assist the development of young, local players.

"That's certainly our plan, it's an ongoing thing for the Board because we have to invest in our youth if we want the sport of cricket to continue to strive," said BCBC president Reginald Pearman.

"We knew Stephen would do well, he is a good person and prominent young player and it will be wise to see others aim to follow in his footsteps."

There is no doubt that Outerbridge is on track to become one of the elite cricketers in Bermuda during the next five years.

His fruitful trip to London was preceded by a 12-week stint in Grenada last year when he attended the prestigious Shell Cricket Academy at the St. George's Unversity, a programme run by the West Indies Cricket Board.

According to Outerbridge, the camp in Grenada was designed to help youngsters work on strengthening their technique while his trip to Lord's saw more emphasis being placed on actual match-playing exercises.

When no place was found in the MCC youth team for the invitees from various countries, arrangements were made for them to play with teams in surrounding areas.

"What made it interesting was that all of the teams were very competitive and at times we got the chance to place against many of the players who were actually involved with county teams," he said. "It was quite an experience and you always had the opportunity to learn things by playing against new people and under very different conditions. Our young players would learn a lot."

For the next few weeks Outerbridge will be busy at Sea Breeze Oval working with youngsters at the Board's youth clinic and then it will be off to England for what he hopes will be the beginning of a productive schooling and eventually a promising career in cricket.