Ayoung Mount Gambier cricketer has embarked on an international tour after being invited to take part in the Jason Gillespie Cricket Academy side.

Jayden Prior, 16, will tour Sri Lanka for three weeks and captain his side as they test themselves against other young stars.

West Gambier’s Prior was selected to take part in the subcontinent tour after playing for Glenelg.

There will be 24 players on the tour and they will be participating in a mix of social activities and cricket.

The tour offers the chance for the players to experience many challenges, including playing on pitches in the subcontinent which has always been a struggle for Australian players in the tough spin friendly conditions.

The youngsters will play in stadiums which have hosted international cricket such as test matches, one day matches and T20s.

Prior said he was proud to be announced as one of the captains for the tour, which will be a great opportunity for him to test his leadership skills in challenging conditions.

“I’m looking forward to seeing and playing in another country,” Prior said.

“I’m excited to see what the grounds are like and what the pitches will do knowing they play a lot of spin.

“It’s also exciting to play with a different group of boys.”

Prior said he was thankful for the opportunity to tour under the Jason Gillespie Academy and was thankful for his family’s support which has provided him with the opportunity to tour.

Coach Jamie Rothall said there would be a range of experiences for the players during the trip.

“The boys will encounter many obstacles including the weather, pitch conditions and even just a change in food,” he said.

The games will be played in stadiums such as Galle, Kandy, Hikkadua and Colombo against a mix of representative school and club teams.

Rothall said the biggest challenge for the players would be the heat and spinning wickets.

The players will have the help of four coaches and a fitness coach during the tour as they get to experience a higher level of cricket and venues.

During the two weeks the players will play seven games with the first six matches 40 over games and the final game in Colombo will be a T20.

It will be an excellent opportunity to experience a different culture and Rothall believes the players will have plenty of opportunities for growth.

“Each person will be different; it will depend on what and how much each person puts into it,” he said.

“There will be different conditions, playing in 90% humidity, different foods will be challenging so the more they put in the more they will get out it.”