Yorkshire Academy all-rounder Ryan Gibson will fly to Australia next week for a six-week training programme at the Darren Lehmann Academy in Adelaide.
The 19-year-old will undergo work on his strength, fitness and play in a number of organised matches after he was awarded the Kevin Armitage Scholarship following a successful season in the academy and second XI last summer.
“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Gibson, who made his List A debut in a Yorkshire Bank 40 match against Leicestershire at Scarborough in 2013.
“It’s not every day you get the chance to go to Australia for six weeks to play cricket.
“The benefit of playing a good standard of cricket in excellent conditions will improve my game massively. I’ll be working on my game and training every day whilst I’m out there.”
The Yorkshire Pride Lottery initiative is sponsored by Marjorie Armitage in memory of her late husband Kevin – a lifelong Yorkshire supporter - who sadly passed away in October 2012.
Yorkshire youngster Ben Coad was the inaugural winner of the scholarship in 2013.
“I would like to thank the Yorkshire Pride Lottery, in particular Jane Ferguson and Marjorie Armitage, for helping me fund my trip,” Gibson added.
“It is a great incentive for any youngster in the Yorkshire system to work hard and get the chance to improve.
“Without their support and the support of the Yorkshire Pride members’ this wouldn’t be possible.”