AS seasons go, they don't get much better than this for young wicket keeper Jack McGregor.

The 15-year-old stumper started the season at Lowerhouse purely to improve his chances of playing first team cricket but ended up in the England side!

The Fearns High School pupil has just returned from a two-week stint with the England Under 15s where they played and beat Ireland Under 17s and Guyana Under 16s in a series of games at Loughbrough.

That would be quite enough for most young cricketers his age but Jack has high targets -- and the first of which is to end the season as a Lancashire League champion.

"I would love to go on and play for England at a higher level but my first goal is to help Lowerhouse win their first ever Lancashire League title," said Jack who has represented Lancashire since he was 11-years-old.

"I joined the club to improve my chances of getting first team cricket and everyone here as been a great help." added Jack who lives in Bacup. "So to help the team win the championship would be a great way to repay all the assistance I have received.

"Playing in the first team has been fantastic because it has given me the chance to play with and against some top class amateurs, not to mention the professionals. Now we are top of the league and we have every chance of winning the title."

Jack is no stranger to playing with the 'big boys' and made Lancashire League history when he played for Bacup's first team when he was just 11-years-old.

However, with the experienced John Chapman behind the stumps, Jack felt he had to move on to get the first team cricket he needed to further his flegling career.

Jack has so far claimed 11 catches and three stumpings in his 15 games for Lowerhouse which no doubt helped him while on England duty.

For in the 10 games against Ireland and Guyana, Jack claimed 15 victims to complete a remarkable turn in fortunes because Jack was one of the last players to make it in to the England squad.

Neil McGregor, Jack's dad, said: "Jack was selected for the North of England team to compete in the Bunbury Festival in Cornwall against teams from the south, west and east. It was basically the last chance for players to impress the England selectors and Jack did just that.

"The fact that he played in all of the games against Ireland and Guyana must mean he is doing something right."

Now Jack, who is also a talented batsman, is determined to stay in the England set-up all the way to the seniors.

"Playing for the England senior side has to be my ultimate aim but I know that will be very difficult. So I have to take it one step at a time and keep working hard to impress the selectors and work my way up through the age groups."

Jack is intelligent enough to keep his feet firmly on the ground but if he needed any reminder of the thin line between success and failure then he only has to call on the experiences of his dad.

"I was on the books at Burnley FC for four years but never played in the first team," said Neil. "When they were relegated in the 1980/81 season I was let go. I know all too well how hard it is to succeed at the highest level and Jack knows that.

But he has his feet on the ground and is not getting carried away."

Jack has already shown maturity beyond his years when he had to make the difficult decision in choosing between cricket and football.

For the former St Saviours Junior School pupil is also a talented goalkeeper and was at Blackburn Rovers Academy for four years.

"Choosing between the two sports was a difficult decision for me but I opted for cricket so I could concentrate on getting in to the England side."

It was a hard choice but if Jack can fulfil his England dreams and guide Lowerhouse to glory then it will definitely be a decision well made!