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THURSDAY, MAY 15

SIDMOUTH seam bowling prospect Adam Dibble will be playing regular 2nd XI cricket for Somerset from July after being offered a development bursary.

   Brian Rose, the former England batsman who is director of cricket at Somerset, called Adam and dad Mike in for a chat after seeing for himself what the 17 year old has to offer.

   Dibble (pictured) first played for Somerset 2nd XI two seasons ago as a 15 year old, which encouraged the county to keep tabs on him.

   As Dibble goes to school in Taunton, it hasn't been hard for Somerset to chart his progress.

   More games followed, which led to the offer of a place at the Somerset academy last winter.

   Having watched him bowl at the first team stars, and play in other 2 nd XI fixtures, Rose has made arrangements with Dibble a little more formal.

   “It isn't a contract – those are strictly for the professionals,” said dad Mike, still scoring runs for Sidmouth in the A Division 2 nd XI competition.

   “A bursary is a way of helping Adam gain more experience, maybe leading to something else when he leaves school.

   “Adam will train with the 1 st XI and play for the 2 nd XI once he finishes at school in July.

   “His ambition is to be a professional cricketer and this bursary could be the first step towards that aim.”

   Dibble first picked up bat and ball in the nets at Sidmouth when he was three and started playing organised cricket as soon as the club could find a team to put him in.

   By the age of nine he was turning out for Devon U11s and he made it into the West of England U13 side a year early as well.

   Colleagues in that side were James Harris (Glamorgan) and Liam Dawson (Hampshire), both of whom went on to play for England U19s.

   Being a year ahead of his age group meant Dibble was able to go on the annual Devon U15 tour to South Africa twice.