HOWZAT! A 14-year-old Barnsley cricket fanatic has just become the youngest person in Yorkshire to qualify as an umpire.

Edward Hennessy of Towngate, Thurlstone, scored an impressive 93 per cent in the Umpires Association exam last month.

The Penistone Grammar School student started playing cricket when he was ten -years- old after going to see his first match at Headingley.

He now plays for Green Moor Cricket Club but his passion lies with officiating the game.

“I can’t wait until the season starts in April, I will be umpiring in games against men older than my dad. I love playing but I have learnt so much more about the game through training as an umpire.

“As a player I want to be like Michael Vaughan and obviously Dickie Bird is the man I look up to as an umpire.”

Edward has met the former Test umpire who offered the youngster some wisdom about the game.

Dickie said: “The most important things to remember when umpiring are application, dedication and concentration. But any umpire must have common sense and above all enjoy it.

“I wish him the best for the future and hope he goes all the way in the game.”

Edward said he hopes for just a fraction of his hero's success.

“Ultimately I would like to umpire for England but just doing it for Yorkshire would be a dream come true,” he said.