A WELSH youth international cricketer has accepted a sports scholarship to a Colwyn Bay school.

Owen Reilly, who plays for Pwllheli Cricket Club, will be joining the Rydal Penrhos in September and has enjoyed a glittering young career to date.

The 15-year-old helped Pwll achieve promotion to the North Wales Premier Division last summer, where he took 21 wickets at an average of 22.57 with best figures of 4/15.

He also helped himself to 19 wickets in his debut senior season and was part of the U19 side that reached the T20 Finals Day at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff for the second successive year.

Owen has represented Wales from U11 level up to his current U17 status, while also being part of the Eryri set-up over a four-year period and is currently the U15 captain.

The bowling all-rounder, who began as a junior at Anglesey Aluminium CC, has been honing his skills at the Marylebone Cricket Club Foundation North Wales Hub at Rydal Penrhos alongside Menai Bridge captain Dion Holder over the winter months.

He said: “The MCCF sessions have helped in analysing areas for improvement with experienced coaches, and developing new skills to put into practice.

“They have also provided an opportunity to experience strength and conditioning programmes and learn about their benefits.

“I chose Rydal Penrhos to further develop sporting skills and opportunities for the future and benefit from the sports scholarship programme, coaching and excellent facilities.

“I also want to widen my experience and challenge himself to achieve excellent results.

“I want to play cricket at a professional level and have a high level career in sport. My ambition is to play for Glamorgan and ultimate ambition is to take a fifer representing my country at Lords against Australia.”

The ambitious youngster got a taste of the big time on a tour of Australia recently, where he spent three weeks competing in the Southern Hemisphere and got the opportunity to take in an Ashes test matches at two iconic venues.

He said: “It was an outstanding experience of playing cricket with a development squad in very different conditions, which was both fun and challenging to adapt to. Also the chance to watch the Ashes at the MCG in Melbourne and SCG in Sydney and watch Sydney Thunder at a Big Bash T20 game.”