Teenager Dan Conway is looking forward to an exciting year having signed for Yorkshire Cricket Club (YCC) after bowling over coaches with his talent.

The Teessider has signed academy forms and will play in Yorkshire's academy and second teams this year, with the aim of rising swiftly up through the ranks.

After an impressive year with Middlesbrough last season, when he took 50 wickets - 11 coming against professionals - in the Premier Division of the North Yorkshire South West Durham League, the 18-year-old has signed for the Headingley outfit and was due to make his second team debut yesterday although rain put paid to that.

He's signed a one year contract and wants to stay on next season if he impresses this year.

At a YCC coaching session earlier this year, which Dan attended as part of the club's Pathways to Excellence scheme, Director of Cricket David Byas asked Dan to train with the academy squad.

He was then asked to train with Yorkshire's first and second XI for five weeks and although YCC had already completed their in-take of academy players, such was the impression Dan made that the club made an exception.

It marks a rapid rise for Dan who only left Marton juniors - where he was captain throughout his ten years - 12 months ago to join Middlesbrough.

In the NYSD League his figures meant he was fifth best amateur bowler for the year, and although considered a medium fast swing bowler, he's also handy with the bat; for the NYSD under-17s representative side, whom he captained, Dan's average was 70.

The medium fast swing bowler has been playing since he was seven and hopes to follow in the footsteps of Yorkshire bowling greats Darren Gough and Fred Trueman who also came through the ranks at Headingly, but proud father Gavin believes the hard work starts now for Dan.

A cricket coach, Gavin said: "It's brilliant to see his hard work has been rewarded, but he's got to keep working hard if he's going to succeed.

"Kids have got to want to succeed if they're going to do well, and he wants it. But that's not enough because they've also got to work at their game."

Dan's progression, says his dad, is due in no small part to the Pathways To Excellence scheme, run by Yorkshire.

Having progressed year by year while on the scheme, which coaches players from a young age right through until they reach academy level where the best are taken in by YCC, Dan got to train during the winter at Headingley where he was eventually spotted by Byas.

Dan paid tribute to those that have helped him so far in his career, saying: "I want to thanks all the coaches for their guidance and advice to that has got me this far.

"Everyone involved in the Pathways to Excellence scheme were excellent and have played a big part."

Now that he's signed for Yorkshire Dan can only play for the Tykes so has played his last game for Middlesbrough in the NYSD League.

The Conway family have a real love affair with cricket because Dan's achievements aren't the household's only link with the game.

Father Gavin coaches children in the Cleveland area, mother Julie works at Durham CC and younger brother Jack is an off-spin bowler with Middlesbrough.

He hopes to follow his brother's lead having just begun training at Headingley under the Pathways to Excellence scheme.