The next sporting protege is set to roll off the production lines at Oakham School in the shape of 17-year-old cricketer Josh Cobb.

Both Bermuda starlets Stefan Kelly and Greg Maybury are also on sports scholarships at the prestigious school in the UK.

Cobb, a talented middle order batsman, is due to start a contract at Leicestershire CCC on July 1, with a view to professional terms if he does well.

Cobb, who is skippering the school's first XI in his final year there, is following in the footsteps of his dad Russell, who was an opening bat for the county in the 1980s.

Cobb said: "I started playing the game when I was very young because my dad was a professional cricketer. I used to go everywhere with him wherever he was playing. It will be nice to play at Grace Road where he used to play."

Cobb has been inspired by Oakham old boys Stuart Broad and Matt Boyce as he seeks to become a professional player.

Fast bowler Broad has recently established himself as an England Test player while Boyce has this season become Leicestershire's first choice opener in the LV County Championship.

Cobb said: "I will be training every day and playing seconds matches. I've been given an opportunity by Leicestershire and it is up to me to take it."

Cobb's school first XI is packed full of talent this summer. Talented newcomer Greg Maybury, a 14-year-old medium pacer, represented his country at the under 19 World Cup where he was by far the youngest player.

Maybury is following compatriot Kelly at the school - he was in the Bermuda squad at the last Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean and is leading the Oakham attack in his final term at the school.

Oakham lost to big rivals Uppingham School last week and Maybury has noticed a big change in conditions compared to his homeland.

He said: "The ball swings more over here and I have even got it to reverse swing which I could not do in Bermuda.

"The quality of the cricket is much higher here as well. We have some great coaches at Oakham and the facilities are very good. It is good to see how well Stefan has done in England. He is a quality cricketer."

Kelly (19) plans to study at Leeds University and he has ambitions to become a professional cricketer after that. He said: "I am now bowling at speeds of between 70 and 80mph but the main thing I am concentrating on is putting the ball in the right place."