Former Hampton School student Zafar Ansari has been earmarked as a potential cricket World Cup star of the future  after being picked to play for England.

The 23-year-old left-arm spin bowling all-rounder and Surrey team-mate Jason Roy have been named in England's one day international squad to face Ireland in Malahide on May 7.

Both players - if selected to play - will be making their ODI debut in the match, with Ansari playing his first match for England in any form of cricket.

National selector James Whitaker said: “We are expecting a very competitive match against a talented Ireland side and this fixture gives us a great opportunity to look at players who have performed well in county cricket and for the Lions.

"We are starting to identify players we believe can make a real impact in limited overs cricket in the next four years as we build towards the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019 and these players have a huge opportunity to stake a claim for further opportunities this summer."

Ansari, a student at Hampton between 2005 and 2010, has a first class batting average of 30 and has taken 57 wickets in 43 first class appearances for Surrey.

The former Weybridge Cricket Club player has a first class honours degree in politics and sociology to his name from Trinity College, Cambridge.

Hampton’s current head of modern languages Duncan Peel was master in charge of cricket for Ansari’s four years in the school’s  first XI.

And he believes his cricketing exploits will serves as an inspiration to the school’s current crop of budding sportsmen.

“Zafar had an excellent summer last year, establishing himself at the top of the order for Surrey in four-day cricket,” he said.

“We remember him very fondly here at Hampton, not just because of his cricketing feats, but also because of the outstanding example he set to others and the humility with which he always reacted to his many successes. 

“He was a true all-rounder at the school playing rugby for the 1st XV for three years, gaining top academic grades across the board and carrying out his responsibilities as school captain. 

“His feet remain very firmly on the ground and he continues to combine his cricket with academic pursuits, to ensure balance and perspective in his life and this may well be a factor in his continued success. 

“Who knows how far he will get in the game, but it’s certainly fun and inspiring for all at Hampton to follow his progress.”