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.
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