FIVE Darlington Cricket Club youngsters have been selected to play their part for their county this season.

Steven Lister, Liam Coates, Adam Fenwick, William Manners - all 11-years-old - and Ian Wilson, who is ten, have been named in the Durham squad to face five other county sides.

The players have been named by the Durham selectors after impressing during both winter and summer coaching sessions held at Durham School and Chester-le-Street's Riverside respectively.

Lister, Coates, Fenwick, Manners and Wilson have all been outstanding at club level and during that time the Feethams outfit have climbed to the top of the NYSD Under 11s division with six straight wins. And Darlington coach John Lister, who has played for Durham and Derbyshire, believes his young cricketers have got a bright future.

"I would think all of them could make the step up quite easily," he said. "They are all all-rounders and they are all good players.

"I wouldn't say any of them are better than any of the others but if they keep progressing, as they are, they could do well in the sport."

Durham travelled to Yorkshire yesterday and have another difficult trip to Northumberland this evening.

It is unclear how big a part each youngster will play but they are likely to be involved at some stage during the coming weeks.

Durham also have to take on Lancashire, Cleveland and Cumbria before the end of the campaign and John Lister is convinced more match experience will help his players.

"At Darlington we have got some good coaching staff and they have all helped develop the boys," he said. "We have six coaches including former England Under 19s man John Mountjoy and Simon Guy of Yorkshire seconds.

"Everyone of those has helped the youngsters improve, as have their parents. And I'm sure playing at county level will help them all even further."