Centurions star signs for Glamorgan (From Penarth Times)

Centurions star signs for Glamorgan

A BRIGHT future beckons for Barry cricketer Michael O'Shea, who has just secured a professional contract with Glamorgan after returning from a tour of India with England Under-19s.

Michael, of Cwm Talwg, a former Barry Comprehen-sive School pupil, is hopeful of playing for England in the Under-19 World Cup next year, which will be held in either New Zealand or Malaysia.

He said: "I've got a contract with Glamorgan which runs from February to September, then there is an England Under-19 tour of Bangladesh before Christmas, followed by the Under-19 World Cup next year."

The Sully Centurions star trains every day with the Glamorgan squad at Sophia Gardens.

He said: "It's great to work with the likes of Matthew Maynard and Robert Croft."

Michael O'Shea, a batsman who also bowls off-spin, has just returned from the England Under-19s tour of Malaysia and India, which lasted six and a half weeks.

England lost the series 3-0 to India.

They were also defeated 4-1 by India in a series of one-day internationals.

Michael said: "Although results didn't go our way, it was fantastic to play against such a high level of opposition and to experience a culture that's so different from our own.

"India had some fantastic batsmen who could hit the ball really hard.

"I'm disappointed that we didn't play as well as we can.

"If we had, I think we would have given them a better run for their money and maybe even have beaten them."

In the build-up to the test series, Michael scored a magnificent 130 for England in their two-day match against the Bangalore Cricket Association.

He spent more than four-and-a-half hours at the crease and was the major contributor to England's total of 326-7.