Depending on which side of the world they live on, most young cricketers dream of opening the bowling at either Lord's or Melbourne's MCG.

Casey Shogren - the winner of The Northern Echo Cricketer Of The Month Award for April/May - still thinks about both.

The 12-year-old was born in Australia, but moved to his current home in Esh Village six years ago.

A love of cricket unites both cultures and Shogren was quick to play the game when he moved to England, joining Durham City's Under-13 side at the start of this season.

His second competitive game saw him saw record match-winning figures of eight wickets for nine runs against South Hetton, including an incredible four successes in as many balls - a feat that won him The Northern Echo's first monthly award of the year.

He would love to become a professional cricketer in the future but, as yet, has not decided which country he would like to represent.

"I haven't made my mind up on that yet," laughed Shogren, who attends St Leonard's RC School in Durham.

"It's a long way off but I would love to be good enough to play cricket for either Australia or England. I don't know which though."

Shogren's award-winning spell helped his side to an easy victory, but the youngster didn't even realise just how great his accomplishment was.

A hat-trick is rare enough - but to get four wickets in four balls is almost unheard of in any form of the game.

All four successes were clean bowled, but Shogren admits he was unsure just how many batsmen he had dismissed in the space of one over.

"I didn't really realise what I had done," he said. "I knew I'd got quite a few wickets but it was a bit of a blur really and I wasn't totally sure I'd got four in a row.

"My friends couldn't believe it either I don't think, but they were really happy for me and pleased at what I'd done."

His family were equally pleased, with Shogren's three younger brothers and sister all equally cricket-mad.

With Casey's parents also willing to turn their arm in the garden, the family are halfway towards fielding their own side.

"We all like playing and I can remember holding a cricket bat when I could hardly stand up," said the 12-year-old.

"I like playing rugby as well, but cricket's always been my number one game.

"My brothers all think that they will be better than me once they get older, and now they want to get a trophy of their own as well."

If Casey's exploits are anything to go by, a whole generation of Durham youngsters had better get ready to see their wickets flying here, there and everywhere over the next ten years.

* Nominations are now open for The Northern Echo Cricketer Of The Month Award for June.