HEREFORDSHIRE cricketer Jamie Mcilroy has signed a professional contract with Glamorgan.

McIlroy, a left-arm seamer from Hereford, impressed by taking 11 wickets for Glamorgan for their seconds last season.

He also made a number of appearances for Herefordshire in Minor Counties cricket last year taking 20 wickets in the competition.

McIlroy has signed a dual contract with Glamorgan, where he will play seconds cricket, and with the MCC Young Cricketers.

"I had a couple of strong seasons and Glamorgan got in touch with me about playing a seconds game two seasons ago," said McIlroy.

"The following season they asked me to trial for the summer.

"My aim now is to continue to improve and put in a run of good performances which will hopefully put me in contention to make the firsts, but also I’d like to secure another contract for the following season."

After learning his cricket trade with home-town club Builth Wells it was only when coach Glyn Harrhy moved across to Herefordshire that he played cricket over the border.

McIlroy has since impressed at club level with Brockhampton and county with Herefordshire.

Last season McIlroy took 38 league wickets for Brockhampton firsts in the Birmingham Division One.

"I played for Builth Wells and Glyn Harrhy was a coach of mine for a couple of years in the Mid Wales Junior set-up," said McIlroy.

"He then moved to work for Herefordshire Junior Cricket. He believed I needed to be playing a higher level and spoke to me about joining him at Brockhampton as he was second team captain at the time. I eventually got into the first team and soon after got into the Minor County set-up."

During the winter McIlroy has been busy refining his skills in Australia playing for the Doutta Stars Cricket Club in Essendon, Victoria.

"Cricket in Australia is tough," added McIlroy.

"Not just the heat, but also adapting and learning to bowl on different types of pitches and also using a different ball (the kookaburra ball).

"The season has gone well so far as my club finished top of the ladder in the regular season. Since then we’ve won the semi-final and will play the side that finished second on the ladder in the grand final.

"My aim when I came out here was to improve and learn to bowl better in these different conditions."