Dillon Pennington signs pro Worcestershire deal
Shrewsbury bowler Dillon Pennington has signed his first professional cricket contract at Worcestershire.
At the completion of his scholarship at Worcester University, the 19-year-old has put pen to paper on a two-year deal, which will come into force on October 1, 2018.
The news follows on from Pennington’s stand-out performances for England in the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand earlier this year.
Pennington, who made his debuts for Shropshire and Worcestershire second XI last summer, said: “The (Worcestershire) academy has been brilliant, training three or four times a week with all the professional staff and the coaches.
“I also loved playing second-team cricket, being around the pros and in that environment, but also playing against quality players.
“You learn and improve so much from playing against the better batters and realising where you have to bowl.
“My game awareness has just shot through the roof in terms of improvements. You can’t bowl a slightly bad ball or it just goes for four.
“I try to hit the deck hard and maybe swing the ball a bit.”
Pennington went to Shrewsbury’s Oxon Primary School and Wrekin College before joining the academy at Worcestershire midway through the 2015-16 intake.
He was a regular for Shrewsbury in the Birmingham League last year and his performances with Shropshire and Worcestershire Seconds led to a call-up to the Under-19 World Cup squad.
Pennington took the new ball for England in the World Cup, playing in five of their six matches – including the quarter-final against Australia when he returned his tournament best figures of 3-27.
