New Essex deal for Westfield

Mervyn Westfield has found first-team chances tough to come by so far at Essex

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Essex seamer Mervyn Westfield has signed a two-year contract extension, keeping him at Chelmsford until 2010.

Westfield, 20, from Romford, was limited to a single first-team appearance for Essex in 2008, but was a regular wicket-taker in the Second XI.

A product of the Ashwell Graham Gooch Cricket Centre, Westfield has spent the winter in Adelaide training and preparing for the upcoming season.

Essex first-team coach Paul Grayson said: “Meryvn is a promising young cricketer. His strong performances in the Second XI in 2008 have led to us offering Meryvn an extension to his contract.

“We can see the potential there - in Mervyn we have a promising young bowler.

“Meryvn now has to stake his claim with the first XI. We look forward to seeing Meryvn breaking into the first-team squad – as a maturing cricketer he has the ability to do this.”

Westfield made his first-team debut in 2005, and has represented England Under-19s in the HSBC Invitational 1st Tri-Series two winters ago in Malaysia.