WORCESTERSHIRE have snapped up promising pace bowler Dillon Pennington who has joined their academy programme for the next 15 months.

The 17-year-old will link up with the academy's current crop of 11 players for the remainder of 2015-2016 and will then be part of the new intake for 2016-2017.

He has been part of Worcestershire's satellite academy at Shrewsbury - his home town - for the past two years, working under the expert eye of former Worcestershire paceman Paul Pridgeon.

Dillon plays club cricket for Shrewsbury and also for Wrekin College where he will complete his education during the next 12 months.

Worcestershire academy coach Elliot Wilson said: " We are really pleased and quite excited for Dillon, delighted that he will be joining the academy.

"He will be down in the next couple of weeks to start his time with us.

"Dillon has been on the satellite academy for the last two years under the guidance of Paul Pridgeon and will continue to see Paul during the next 18 months alongside the work he does with us at New Road and Malvern.

"He is six feet, five inches tall, a fast bowler - but can also bat as well.

"Unfortunately, at the back end of the winter, he suffered an injury and it has taken him time to get back from that injury.

"But the season before that, we were really impressed by the progress Dillon had been making.

"To be able to oversee his full recovery and continue his development, we have decided to put him onto the academy full-time.

"It enables us to have a greater level of control over how much he does, where he does it and who with, so we are really excited to bring Dillon onto the programme."

Worcestershire now have a round dozen players on their current academy programme.

Wilson added: "We have got a few lads performing well in representative cricket and county cricket that are likely to come on in September for the next intake."