By Peter Della Penna

In a move sure to excite many young players involved in US cricket, Team USA U-19 all-rounder Ryan Corns has confirmed that he has signed an equipment sponsorship agreement with English company Gunn & Moore.

Pic (Right):  Corns attacks with his favorite GM willow.  GM has signed him as their first USA player.

“I’ve been in love with Gunn & Moore equipment since I was a little kid and now to be sponsored by them is a dream come true,” said Corns on Thursday. Corns will be provided with all bats and complete protective equipment as part of the agreement which was signed earlier this week.

“My role model growing up when I was young was Neil McKenzie and he was Gunn & Moore,” said Corns. “That was the first bat that I got and I’ve stuck to it ever since.”

Corns will get a chance to put his new equipment on display when he travels to New Zealand in January with Team USA to compete in the ICC U-19 World Cup. He is also on the list of 40 probables for the senior team that will be at selection trials in Florida next week as part of the USACA National Championship from Nov. 13-15.

The 19-year-old has a legitimate chance to be selected to go with the men’s team in February to Dubai for the World Twenty20 Qualifier and to Nepal for the WCL Division Five tournament.

While several senior players including Sushil Nadkarni are known to have equipment deals, very few have had the support of equipment makers at the U-19 level.   Corns became the first U-19 cricketer to sign with Gunn & Moore.  Last year, another U-19 cricketer Cameron Mirza signed a deal with Gray Nicolls.

The sponsorship is one more indication that cricket has a bright future in America. Corns hopes it is the next step in making it become a career option.

“It’s one step closer to becoming a professional cricketer,” said Corns.