RYEDALE'S budding young off-spinner Dan Broadbent admitted his call-up to the full Yorkshire squad for the forthcoming trip to Grenada was "a big shock".

But according to his former PE teacher Brian Dowson, the 17-year-old from Fadmoor will take the huge step up to senior level in his stride.

He said: "He is an intelligent boy who has balanced his school life well with his cricket. He has taken every opportunity and that's what I like about him. He takes everything in his stride."

As head of PE at Ryedale School in Nawton, Mr Dowson has seen the teenager progress since the age of 11. During that time, he has seen Dan pick up both county and national honours.

He said Dan faced tough competition for a first team place but believed his competitive edge would stand him in good stead.

News of his call-up for the pre-season tour to the Caribbean came as a surprise because the squad had already been announced two weeks ago.

But less than a day after director of coaching Wayne Clark had begun work back at Headingley, after flying from Australia, he had made the decision to include Dan.

Clark said: "Off-spinner Andy Gray (from Scarborough) is in the party but I thought it was an excellent opportunity to see at first hand how Dan is progressing."

With off-spinner James Middlebrook leaving for Essex last year and Richard Dawson impressing for England, the opportunity is there for Dan to stake his claim.

But the England under-17 star, now studying for his A-Levels at Lady Lumley's School in Pickering, is not getting carried away.

"I'm not expecting too much at this stage. I'm just chuffed to be there," he said.

Dan added that he was intending to take a degree alongside playing cricket and was hoping to join one of the ECCB centres of excellence after taking his A-levels.

The former Pickering and Gillamoor star will be the youngest of several players from the academy who will make up the squad, which includes experienced players Richard Blakey, Anthony McGrath, Gavin Hamilton and Chris Silverwood.

In what is his third year at the academy, he said he had got to know some of the first team squad already during net practice. And Dan also has four second team games under his belt.

The squad of 15 depart on March 20, returning home on April 5.

Dan already has experience overseas, having played for Yorkshire under-16s in South Africa and England under-17s in Australia.

Headteacher at Lady Lumley's Norman Corner added his congratulations.

He said: "We are delighted at Dan's success and wish him well in the West Indies."

Updated: 10:56 Thursday, March 07, 2002