BOLTON leg-spinner Matthew Parkinson says Saqib Mahmood’s presence in Lancashire’s Twenty20 team will drive him on to follow his 18-year-old team-mate into first-team cricket.

Parkinson, Rochdale’s Mahmood and another Boltonian, Haseeb Hameed, all signed their first professional contracts at Emirates Old Trafford during the most recent winter before touring Australia with England under 19s in April.

The trio have had to juggle their cricket with A-Level exams during the last month, with Parkinson studying business, English and history at Canon Slade, where twin brother Callum also studies.

Fast bowler Mahmood recently won England’s Development Programme Cricketer of the Year award, and played in his county’s T20 Blast matches against Derbyshire and Worcestershire.

He took 1-14 from 2.2 overs in the former and 1-26 from three in the latter, which Lancashire lost at home.

"I'm pleased for Saq,” said Parkinson, who captained Urmston in the Cheshire County League a week last Saturday.

“It's good that he's done well for the seconds and got picked for the firsts.

“It gives the rest of us some incentive because it shows that performances will be get you picked. He took his chance and, by all accounts, did really well against Derby.

"I'm feeling quite good at the moment. I haven't played a great deal for Lancs due to exams. But I've done quite well for Staffordshire and Urmston.

“I'm just going to look to kick after the exams when I can get a decent run of games for Lancs seconds."

Matthew, who played his junior cricket at Heaton, became Urmston’s youngest ever captain due to an injury to their regular captain Chris Turner.

They beat Sale in a match which Callum scored a century and took five wickets. Matthew added three wickets.

Callum captained Lancashire’s under 17s to the league and cup double last year, but he has since left Emirates Old Trafford to take up a place on Derbyshire’s Academy.