DILLON Pennington aims to emulate fellow pacemen and academy products Josh Tongue, Pat Brown and George Scrimshaw in making a first-team breakthrough with Worcestershire this summer.

Pennington, 19, says he has taken much confidence from his performances for England under 19s in the ICC World Cup this winter and then being awarded his first professional contract by the County with a two-year deal from October.

He knows there is plenty of “healthy competition” among the crop of young bowlers at New Road and his initial aim is to try to cement a regular second XI spot and perform well.

But the teenager, who is on a University of Worcester scholarship, also wants his first taste of senior action.

Pennington, who plays Birmingham League cricket for Shrewsbury, said: “Playing in the World Cup was by far the best experience I’ve had so far.

“Playing against the best players in the world in your age group makes you feel a lot more confident in yourself.

“Then coming back to Worcestershire and to know they want to take me on full-time is also a really huge confidence boost.

“That feeling of signing the piece of paper (the contract) is definitely one I won’t forget.

“My first aim is to play a full season of second XI cricket but I’d love to try to break into the first team this season, maybe in the white-ball cricket, and get a debut.”

Pennington added: “Do I take heart from Tongue, Brown and Scrimshaw breaking through? Definitely, I’d like to try to follow in their steps and do well like they did in the seconds and hopefully break into the seniors.

“The way I look at it and the way I’ve been told is ‘play your cricket and things will come’ and that’s definitely how it has happened, first getting into the Young Lions and then the contract with Worcestershire.”