TEENAGED Tottington cricketer Harry Dearden is hoping to make a big hit on the county scene after forcing his way into the Leicestershire first team.

The 19-year-old former Lancashire Academy player moved into the senior squad at Grace Road at the end of last season.

And after new head coach Pierre De Bruyn decided to put his faith in youth, Dearden has been thrust centre stage.

He was one of three young players to sign a new contract on the eve of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two opener, agreeing a deal that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2018 campaign.

Dearden was then charged with opening the batting alongside former Lancashire batsman Paul Horton in a 10-wicket defeat at home to Nottinghamshire.

De Bruyn said: “It is vital we plan towards our future. We want to have a good balance of senior professionals and young players, and these three players have shown exactly the skills and attitude we are looking for in our youngsters.

“Harry has shown real maturity as a young batsman. It is tough at the top of the order but he has a solid, compact game, has improved over the winter, and forced his way into the team.”

Leicestershire have fallen foul of the authorities after being charged five times over the past year for player indiscipline on the pitch, earning a 16-point deduction even before the season began.

De Bruyn was given carte blanch to wipe the slate clean at the club after replacing previous boss Andrew Macdonald at the end of the last campaign.

The South African has a reputation as a tough taskmaster but Dearden says he has enjoyed his approach.

“I like the way he coaches, he’s hard and he challenges you but I enjoy that challenge, hopefully I can respond to it,” he said. “He wants us to win some silverware this season and that has to be the aim for Leicestershire, to win a trophy.”

If Dearden was under any misapprehension of the size of the task facing him, it was brought into sharp focus on Friday, when he was caught by Chris Read for 12 off the bowling of Harry Gurney – both England internationals.

Another Test player, Aussie James Pattinson, dismissed the teenager without scoring in the second innings, before Notts went on to complete a 10-wicket victory, so he is already focusing on the next match against Glamorgan.

“I want to hit the ground running, score as many runs as possible and embrace my first full year in county cricket,” he added.

Dearden’s decision to move from the North West was made easier by a familiar face at the Fischer County Stadium, Boltonian Callum Parkinson, who he played with in the Lancashire Academy side.

“I’ve settled really well here,” he said. “I’ve made some good friends already and I am living with Callum, which has helped. The move was right for my career. Having a familiar face around makes it easier as we moved to Leicester at a similar time and we’ve helped each other out since we’ve been here.

“It’s perfect living with Callum – he can’t cook so I do all the cooking, but he does all the cleaning.”

Dearden first turned out competitively for Walshaw under-nines. He comes from a cricketing family and cites his dad Steve – a former Ramsbottom player who now plays for Woodbank – as a major influence.

“I’ve had a bat and ball in my hand for as long as I can remember,” he said.

“I’d spend endless hours playing cricket with my dad and grandad (Gerald) when I was younger. My dad is very knowledgeable, I always listen to his advice and still go back to him for advice now.”

De Bruyn talked up Dearden’s improvement over the winter as a major factor behind his rise to first-team prominence and the left-handed batsman admits he learned a great deal.

“After going on tour to Australia in February with the club I spent two weeks in Spain at the Tom Maynard Academy, which was an amazing experience,” said the former Bury College student. I spent a lot of time learning about the game in a bit more depth and I also got to know some of the other county cricket lads out there.

“Back at Leicester there are plenty of great players I can look up to, especially my fellow opener, Paul Horton, and the skipper Mark Cosgrave, who is also a left-hander.

“I can learn a lot from the two of them. They are helping me learn how to construct an innings and are both proven players.

“I definitely feel ready for county cricket, my aim is to solidify a place in the side.

“I haven’t set any targets – if you do that and you don’t meet them you can lose yourself and it can affect your confidence.

“You can’t score in every game so you’ve just got to take your chances and make big shots when the opportunity arises.

“I’m excited for the challenge and I’m just going to try and enjoy it.”