Watford Town's Alexander Palmer has become the highest-ranked Under-14 batsman in the ECB Cup after posting an unbeaten knock of 143.

Palmer, 14, who was also the winner of the Hertfordshire Cricket Under-13’s batsman of the year, hit 143 not out in Hertfordshire’s ECB Cup triumph over Suffolk at the beginning of August.

Having reached his century from 156 balls, Palmer went on to set his highest score for his county as Hertfordshire crushed their opponents by 156 runs.

Boasting a total of 258 runs in the competition and with an average of 62, Palmer also hit the highest Under-13 score last term, with an unbeaten 136 for Hertfordshire against Oxford.

Palmer, who opens the batting for Hertfordshire Under-14s, has been mentored by the West Indian great Gordon Greenidge and recently returned from cricket training with the former Windies batsman in the Caribbean, before hitting his record score.

The teenager was discovered by Gulfraz Riaz, head of Colts cricket at Watford Town, as part of the grassroots cricket programme.

Palmer has been invited to Loughborough next month to take part in the national ECB talent test to be considered for the England Development Programme.