Fast bowler Moin Ashraf is determined to shed the tag of being a youngster through his performances in a Yorkshire shirt next season.

The 19-year-old, recently called up to an England Performance Programme squad for their winter training camps, only played six County Championship matches in 2011.

But he ended it with some encouraging performances in matches against Warwickshire and Somerset as well as bowling far better than his figures suggested in a 40-over win against Sussex at Scarborough in late August.

He also featured for an England Development XI in a one-day friendly match against Sri Lanka ‘A’, and is confident he can play a key role in 2012.

“I’ve played quite a few games now, and I don’t think you can call me – well I certainly don’t like the tag – a youngster any more,” said Ashraf.

“I know I’m 19, but I want to play a more senior role and play more first-team games.”

Ashraf, who burst onto the scene in the closing stages of 2010, spent close to three months away from first-team cricket this summer between mid-May and mid-June after playing half of the opening six Championship matches.

“When I was away from the firsts, I was just working on a few basic things,” he said. “There was a dip in form at the start of the season, which I acknowledged. I hope I took it in the right way.

“I tried to bowl with the same aggression that I did at the end of the previous season, and I hope I came back stronger.”

National recognition for the player who has begun studying part-time for a Sports Performance degree at Leeds Met University is proof he did indeed come back stronger.

He added: “It’s a great achievement for me to get selected for the Performance Programme. My dream is to represent England, and this will be a big step for me to take.”

Ashraf will spend time this winter training at the National Performance Centre in Loughborough, in Sri Lanka and at the MRF fast bowling centre in India after Christmas.

ECB performance director David Parsons said: “This has been a key stage in the development of a number of young fast bowlers who have gone on to represent the Lions and England.

“Steven Finn, Stuart Meaker, Jade Dernbach and Chris Woakes have all benefited from this programme.”