England cricket call-up for Shrewsbury's young players
Proud skipper Rob Foster is delighted that two of Shrewsbury's young players have been selected for the England under-19 squad.
Opening batsman Ollie Westbury, ever present for the London Roaders in the Birmingham League this season, and fast bowling all-rounder George Panayi have been picked for the four-day Test matches against Sri Lanka.
Both are in the squad to face the tourists at Fenners in Cambridge, starting this Tuesday, and then at the home of Northamptonshire CCC from August 3.
Foster believes both players, who attended Shrewsbury School, have bright futures with Westbury a regular for Worcestershire's second team while Panayi recently signed his first professional contract at Warwickshire.
Westbury underlined his potential last weekend by hitting his second Shrewsbury century of the season to help the club beat Wolverhampton.
"We're absolutely delighted to see them doing so well," said Foster. "To get the England recognition is just what they deserve.
"George is probably as quick as anyone for his age and Ollie's just a run machine.
"He doesn't look like he ever wants to get out. He loves batting and he just knows how to score. He loves his cricket and he's doing very well for us."
While Westbury has been a regular name on the Shrewsbury team sheet this year, the club has not seen as much of Panayi.
Foster said: "He was at school for the first half of the season and now he's got involved with Warwickshire's first team. He's been 12th man the last few weeks, so I think he's quite close to playing there.
"Bowlers are a little bit protected by counties. His availability, I would imagine, will be a little bit patchy."
Foster hopes the young duo can become the latest Shrewsbury players to progress to first-class cricket.
He said: "It's great recognition for us. Jimmy Taylor went right through to the England first team; Joe Leach and Ed Barnard are now in the first team at Worcester and the two lads, Ollie and George, it wouldn't surprise me if before long those two are also playing first-class cricket."
Shrewsbury head to premier division strugglers Leamington tomorrow with Foster expecting to be without Westbury.
"It's a big game in that if we win that we manage to put a bit of distance between ourselves and them," he added. "We've managed to put three good performances together. We're playing a bit better."
