 CHRIS WHELAN, a young cricketer tipped for stardom, was named Echo Merseyside Young Sports Personality of the Year at the glittering awards ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Hotel last night. The Aigburth 18-year-old, who made his first class county debut for Middlesex last summer, was saluted at the gala dinner that honoured some of Merseyside's legends. Whelan held off the challenge of promising athletics star Rachael Thompson, Everton and England starlet John-Paul Kissock, snooker ace Daniel McCann and biathlete Chelsea McCourt, to land the award, introduced for the first time last year and won by England boxer Stephen Smith. "I am absolutely thrilled to win an award for cricket, especially in a city where football dominates, but it's good that the sport has been recognised," he said. "To sit on a table with Brian Labone, Howard Kendall and Brian Little was quite an experience." Whelan only returned from a trip to India on Sunday with Middlesex to get some experience with bat and ball. "It has been massively beneficial. It was to learn how to play spin bowling, but also how to bowl on different wickets. I have been told to bowl tight at one end. As a fast bowler you want the rock and bowl short, but in India you can't do that. "As you get up higher in the game wickets get flatter, so it was good to bowl on those type of pitches. "It was the first real time I have worked with Embers (John Emburey). He has bowled in Test cricket and though he was a spinner he knows a lot about fast bowling. "If I break into the first team Embers will take me under his wing. He says I am an investment for the future and I have a good attitude, and am one of a line of bowlers who can get a place in the first eleven." Whelan started playing the game at Gilmour Junior School, and was part of the team who became the first state school to win the national Wrigleys tournament. He still holds the record for the individual batting performance at St Margaret's, scoring 177 not out in an under-15 final against King's School, Chester. He has progressed through the Lancashire junior sides, making his Sefton debut in the Liverpool Competition at 14. | 
