Great Witchingham's Will Rogers has become the latest Norfolk cricketer to be snapped up by a first class county – at the age of just 13.

Rogers, the son of prolific Norfolk runscorer Carl Rogers, will start training at the Northamptonshire Academy in October.

Carl, who recently retired as a Norfolk player after 22 years, said: 'He is very excited and it is the first rung of the ladder for him. This is where it starts for him and hopefully he can develop with the opportunities a first class county can offer him.

'He is certainly one of the youngest to be taken on by the academy.'

The teenager, pictured, has also been handed another exciting opportunity, having been offered a place at Uppingham School in Rutland, where Norfolk professional Trevor Ward is the cricket coach. He starts there this term.

Rogers jnr has opened the batting and bowled his left arm chinaman spin for Witchingham's second XI this summer as they chase promotion from Norfolk Alliance Division Three. He has also played for Norfolk's Under-13 and U14 sides.

Having stepped down from county duty himself, Carl is looking forward to keeping a close eye on his son's development with Northants: 'I do get a lot of enjoyment out of watching him play and that's one of the reasons I've packed up playing for Norfolk, it frees up a bit more time to watch him,' he said.

Norfolk has provided rich pickings for professional counties in recent years, with Swardeston duo Rob Newton and Bud Bailey and Vauxhall Mallards' Olly Stone coming through the Northants Academy to play for the first team, while Horsford's Jaik Mickleburgh has done the same at Essex. Fakenham's Ryan Findlay and Swardeston's Matthew Taylor are also currently on the Northants Academy, while Sam Arthurton (Great Witchingham) came through the Essex Academy and plays regularly for the second team and Will Dunger (Fakenham) is also on the Essex books.