Kate Oakenfold is celebrating a national treble.

The 16-year-old, from Isfield, has won the MCC women's under-17s player of the year title and been selected to train with the national senior squad at Edgbaston next month.

Kate, a pupil at Brighton College, received the MCC trophy from cricket legend Rachel Heyhoe-Flint at Lord's.

She has also won the Best Performance 2000 crown and was short-listed for Young Player of the Year in awards run by Wicket Women magazine, published by the ECB.

Kate said: "All this has done wonders for my confidence and confirmed my belief that I can get to the top. The MCC trophy says that I am the best in my age group and that feels good."

Her teacher at Brighton College is England skipper Clare Connor.

Kate said: "It is brilliant having the England captain at your school to coach you. It has given me a boost. My whole game has got so much stronger over the past year, especially my batting."

Kate was one of 26 players who made the final selection at Lord's for the MCC award after being monitored for a year.

She hit a century from just 135 balls and took 3-14 with five overs of medium pace to help Sussex win the national under-17s title, a display that clinched the Wicket Women vote.

Kate also scored two hundreds and several 50s for Sussex and played against Holland in an under-17s international.

She will joined at Edgbaston by Connor and national senior squad member Caroline Atkins, from Burgess Hill, is also expected to attend.

Connor is delighted for her protege. She said: "It is fantastic for her. She thoroughly deserves her player of the year award because she is one of the most improved teenage cricketers in the country. She has come on in leaps and bounds over the past year.

"I've been keeping a close eye on her because I also teach her A-level English and she calls me Miss Connor. She's very respectful. It'll be good to have some company from Sussex at Edgbaston. Normally the squad is full of northern girls!"

MCC head coach Clive Radley, the former Middlesex and England player, put Oakenfold and her 25 rivals through their paces at Lord's.

He said: "She just stood out."

Oakenfold is also in the England development squad with Rosalie Birch (Lewes), Alexia Walker (Bexhill) and Samantha Keyes (Burgess Hill).

Sussex representatives in the South East Region development squad include Charlotte Burton (Brighton and Hove), Lisa Young (Horsham), Charlotte Russell (Lewes) and Victoria Cruikshank (Hailsham).

Also in the squad are Vicky Sowton (Steyning), Samantha Willis (Crowborough) and Sophie Hoskins (Horsham), plus Emma Excell (Seaford) and Laura Marsh (Crowborough).