DAVID Harrison believes he can only come back from England's Academy this winter as an improved player.

The Panteg product has been named alongside Glamorgan team-mate Michael Powell in a 12-man Academy squad to train at Loughborough before Christmas before touring Sharjah and Sri Lanka in the New Year.

"After making my Glamorgan debut in 1999 things went a bit quiet for me but I've surprised myself the way my career has come on in the last couple of seasons,'' said 23-year-old Harrison, who is to be joined at the Academy by younger brother Adam on a part-time basis.

"Hopefully I can take my career on to another level and I would like to think that that can only benefit Glamorgan.

"Last year people kept saying I was close to getting picked and I started to believe in their confidence, so when I wasn't selected it was a bit disappointing.

"This year I was just determined to concentrate on doing well for Glamorgan and if the Academy happened then it happened.

"To be honest, when I heard I was in I was a little bit shocked but absolutely over the moon.

"Now I can relax a little bit and concentrate on getting Glamorgan up to the County Championship First Division. Then I can look forward to going to the Academy. Hopefully that will give me a bit more experience as well as getting me a bit fitter and a bit more streetwise about my bowling.

"It's a great opportunity for me to come back to Glamorgan a much better and more experienced cricketer next season.

"I know that there are plenty of things I need to look at like being more consistent with the bat and also improving as a fielder.''

Harrison's father Stuart, a former Glamorgan player himself, was at Colwyn Bay supporting his elder son when he heard the news.

"My wife Sue and I were absolutely delighted. To have one son included is great but to have both involved is amazing,'' he said.

Fast bowler Simon Jones has been included in the England part to tour South Africa as expected and on a good day for the county, Alex Wharf was put on stand-by for the ICC Champions next month.