SPORT Studies graduate Daryl Mitchell, netted a University of Worcester cricket scholarship, and with it secured his dream to play first-class cricket for Worcestershire.

The 21-year-old from Badsey broke into the first team at New Road last season and impressed with both bat and ball in the Twenty20 Cup and Frizzell County Championship.

Mitchell, who graduated this summer, is the first student to represent the first team through the scholarship, which was pioneered between the University of Worcester and the county and firmly believes that his scholarship played a massive part in his ambition to play top-level cricket.

"The scholarship was definitely my stepping stone into the first team because I knew, that at the age of 18, that I wasn't quite ready to take the step up," he admitted.

"It has allowed me to continue my studies and to train and play with Worcestershire to develop my skills over the past three years. It's been hard to combine both study and sport, but the teaching on the course was great and everything I've achieved has been well worth it."

Mitchell made an unbeaten 64 in his first full game against Leicestershire and and is spending the winter in Australia.