Glamorgan's Aneurin Donald named in England U-19 squad
Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Glamorgan batsman Aneurin Donald has been recalled to the England under-19 squad for the World Cup in Bangladesh.
Donald captained the age-group side in a one-day series against Australia in 2015, but missed the subsequent tournament against India and Sri Lanka.
He is spending the UK winter at the Darren Lehmann Academy in Adelaide as well as playing club cricket there.
Donald will now travel to Dubai for a week of practice in January, including a warm-up match against South Africa.
England, who beat Australia 3-2 in the series captained by Donald, open their campaign against minnows Fiji in Chittagong on January 27, with further group games against West Indies and Zimbabwe.
The 18-year-old Donald hopes the experience of a winter in Australia and the World Cup will help him become a Glamorgan first-team regular in 2016.
He played five Championship games and five limited-overs games in 2015.
Donald has been working at the academy set up by current Australia coach Lehmann, as well as playing club cricket for the University side in Adelaide.
"It's definitely the best place to be to improve your skill," he said.
"It's quite tough physically and mentally, especially after the end of a county season."
Donald and Glamorgan second-team spinner Owen Morgan are based in Adelaide, along with young players from Durham, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Sussex and promising prospects from around the world.
The programme is run by Shaun Seigert, who has been in charge since the academy was set up in 2005, but the players have been advised by Lehmann himself as well as working with former Glamorgan and Australia pace bowler Shaun Tait.
"You get a wealth of experience around but they also put the onus on you, and what you want to improve on, which is fantastic" Donald told BBC Wales Sport.
"Being able to play and train this much gives you a massive advantage.
"We're having more and more youngsters from English cricket who've been out here and every time they go back they do really well in county cricket. Hopefully we can carry that on."
The young batsman has the security of a three-year contract with Glamorgan when he returns for the 2016 season.
He narrowly missing out on becoming the youngest player to hit a first-class hundred for Glamorgan when he hit 98 against Gloucestershire in the final game of 2015.
"Glamorgan's a great place to be as a youngster and especially as a local Welsh guy," Donald said.
"I've been given a couple of opportunities and hopefully I can nail down a spot.
"I want to get my first first-class hundred out of the way which unfortunately I didn't quite make in the last game of the season.
"I think I have a few games to break Matt Maynard's youngest centurion record so that's the first target if I get a go, hopefully I get a spot early in the year."
