ANDREW Hodd admits his move to Yorkshire from home county Sussex in 2012 has helped him fall in love with cricket again following a difficult period in his career.

Wicketkeeper Hodd, the understudy to Jonny Bairstow at Headingley, was presented with his county cap before last week’s Roses win over Lancashire in the County Championship.

He may not be a regular in the Yorkshire side, but there are many within the club who believe Hodd is one of the best genuine glovemen in county cricket.

The 32-year-old has always had to deal with a lack of regular first-team cricket at his other counties Sussex and Surrey, but he is finding it far easier to deal with now.

Ahead of tomorrow’s Royal London one-day Cup opener against Worcestershire at Headingley, he revealed: “Coming up from Sussex, I had fallen out of love with cricket following a few tough years.

“I wasn’t enjoying cricket, the game I’d been playing since I was knee high to a grasshopper.

“But I’ve been here for four years now and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’ve fallen in love with the game again. I really love playing for the White Rose.

“I love being around the lads, and if I can give anything to them I will do. It’s not a chore at all.

“Kicking around Yorkshire I still get the ‘you’re not from around here’ quite a lot from outside the cricketing circles.

“But since walking through the door of the club, everyone has been brilliant and made me feel part of the family. I feel like I’m an adopted Yorkshireman now.”

On his cap award, which came approximately half an hour before the Roses clash started last Sunday, he continued: “I guess I’ve been rewarded for a few good performances and, hopefully, being viewed as a good egg as well.

“We went up into the changing rooms, and I thought we were just having a meeting. But Dizzy passed over to Galey, who made a little speech. It all took my breath away.”

After the dressing room presentation, the Yorkshire squad went out onto the field, where Hodd was given his cap by club president John Hampshire in front of the club’s members and supporters.

“John has been fantastic as well since I’ve been up here,” said Hodd, a former England under 19s international.

“He was coming to watch twos game, and he has always been around. He is Mr Yorkshire.

“He’s not in great health at the moment, and it was really nice to receive it off John, a club legend.”

Hodd will play against the Rapids tomorrow in a floodlit clash starting at 2pm, with the Sky cameras screening Yorkshire live for a third time in six days.

The Vikings, beaten semi-finalists in this competition last year to eventual winners Gloucestershire, will be hoping for revenge for last Thursday’s T20 defeat to the same opponents at New Road.

“We had a little bit more success in one-day cricket last year,” added Hodd.

“We got to the semi-finals, and I think this competition mirrors our strengths a bit more from the Championship than Twenty20 does.”

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is due to arrive with the county this week, but not in time for tomorrow’s fixture.