DAMIAN SHIRAZI gets his "dream" chance to impress the Hampshire coaching hierarchy this week.

The 21-year-old top-order batsman from Dibden Purlieu is named in a 12-man Hampshire squad to face the Cardiff Centre of Excellence at The Rose Bowl in a three-day game starting tomorrow.

Though the match is technically a 1st XI game for Hampshire, the game doesn't have first-class status attached to it.

But that doesn't detract from the importance of the game to Shirazi and a clutch of other youngsters hoping to impress.

Shirazi played for Hampshire through the various youth levels and has represented the county at 2nd XI level before.

Yet it looked at one stage as if Hampshire were going to ignore the talent on their doorstep - Shirazi having extended trials with Kent 2nds last year.

The Southampton Institute student said: "Of course I want to play professionally and ideally it would be with Hampshire - that's where I was born and bred.

"It would be a dream to play for Hampshire.

"I feel in good form, now I have to take this chance.

"I'm 21 now and I want to play county cricket as soon as I can - I certainly want to be doing that by the time I'm 23."

Shirazi enjoyed a stunning 2003 campaign.

Not only did he score over 500 runs for Southern League champions BAT, he also broke the MCC Young Cricketers batting award for most runs in a season.

Shirazi compiled a superb 1,326 runs including a double century and three other tons, plus 40 wickets with his medium pace seamers.

Only three players had previously scored over 1,000 runs in a season for the MCC YC, including ex-New Zealand skipper Martin Crowe.

Shirazi recently played for British Universities in the rain-wrecked tour match against New Zealand at Fenners.

He didn't get a bat after two whole days of play was washed out but said: "It was great experience, just seeing how top players prepare for matches was great."

Shirazi also toured South Africa with the BU squad in March, and last year was second in the Southern Electric Premier League averages with 567 at 70.88 for champions BAT.

Shirazi has decamped to play for Esher in the Surrey League this season and last weekend scored 49 in his first innings for them.

Hampshire, meanwhile, have named two trialists in their 12-man squad to face a Cardiff side depleted by exam commitments - Hampshire seamer James Tomlinson is one of the students forced to miss the game.

Guildford CC batsman Andrew Hollingsworth and former Sussex bat Dominic Clapp are on trial at The Rose Bowl until the end of May - so, like Shirazi, could be playing for their Hampshire futures.

The only two men with first XI experience in 2004 named in the squad are top order batsmen Michael Brown and James Hamblin, who will captain the side.

Brown has struggled for runs since compiling his maiden first class hundred against Leicestershire at The Rose Bowl (102 not out).

He has scored only 35 runs in four championship innings since against Derbyshire (1 and 1) and Yorkshire (13 and 20).

Hamblin's sole first team experience in 2004 was in scoring 20 in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy victory against Cheshire.