Mike joins a select cricketing group! (From Barry And District News)

Mike joins a select cricketing group!

SULLY Centurions star Mike O"Shea has joined a select group of specialist batsmen who have made their county debuts while still in their teens.

Barry-born Mike, who made his Glamorgan debut against Bangladesh A last week at Abergavenny, was 17 years and 325 days old.

This made him the 18th youngest player to have appeared for the Welsh county, but only seven specialist batsmen have played at a younger age - Alan Lewis Jones, Mike Llewellyn, John Hopkins, Tony Lewis, David Gwynne, Alan Rees and Cyril Walters.

Mike was two weeks younger than Hugh Morris, the former Glamorgan and England opener, who made his county debut against Leicestershire at Cardiff in 1981.

Mike came in at number six against Bangladesh A, and stayed for 28 minutes, scoring 10 runs off 27 balls, and featuring in a 30-run partnership with Mike Powell.

Glamorgan made 380 all out, and Bangladesh were 54-2 at the end of the second day. Rain washed out the third day"s play and the match was drawn.

* Mike is also in the Glamorgan team currently facing Kent in a four-day County Championship fixture in Canterbury.

The full team is as follows: DD Cherry; MA Wallace; DL Hemp; J Hughes; MJ Powell; MP O"Shea; RDB Croft; AG Wharf; DS Harrison; HT Waters; AP Davies; DA Cosker. The match is scheduled to start at 11am each day (starting yesterday).