REECE Topley can be proud of the progress he has made for Essex this season, according to coach Paul Grayson.

The Colchester and East Essex CC teenager has been named in England’s Performance Programme squad, along with Essex team-mates Ben Foakes and Tymal Mills.

The talented young left-arm seamer will travel to Australia with the squad this winter, following a successful season with his county.

Topley, 19, scooped Essex’s bowler of the year award at their recent awards evening, having taken nearly 50 Championship wickets this season.

And speaking ahead of Essex’s final County Championship division two game at Hampshire which starts today, coach Grayson was full of praise for the talented teenager.

Grayson said: “I think Reece can be very proud of his efforts this season.

“He has taken close to 50 County Championship wickets for us and he’s also performed very well with the white ball, too. It’s still early days in his career but the more Reece plays at a high level, the better he becomes.”

Topley, along with Foakes and Mills, will spend a period training at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough with the England Performance Programme (EPP).

They then follow it up with a month in Australia where they will be based in Brisbane for a fortnight, followed by two weeks in Perth.

Grayson said: “All three are outstanding young cricketers, who have all come through our system. I think that we should be very proud of them at the club and they all deserve their call-ups.

“In being in Australia for a month, they’ll be in the right place with the Ashes taking place there and who knows what might happen?

“They’ve experienced first-class cricket for a number of years now and all of them have done very well.”

Meanwhile, Grayson has praised Graham Napier after he scooped four trophies at Essex’s club awards night. The talented all-rounder scooped the county’s player of the year and batsman of the year awards.

He took the Champagne moment of the year trophy for his four wickets in four balls against Surrey in the YB40 and was also named players’ player of the year.

Grayson said: “Graham has been absolutely outstanding.

“He should be acknowledged for his achievements this year, not just by us but by the whole country, too.

“We sat with him at the start of the year and talked about the season coming up and worked out a strategy and he has reaped the rewards.”