JACK Brooks has signed a one-year contract extension with Yorkshire which keeps him at the club until the end of the 2018 season.

The 32-year-old strike bowler joined the white rose county in 2012 and his previous deal was due to expire in December. Yorkshire officials have therefore moved quickly to secure his services for another summer.

Brooks' presence in the attack may be particularly important, given that Ryan Sidebottom will be retiring at the end of this season.

The former Northamptonshire seamer admitted Yorkshire's players will use Sidebottom's departure as extra motivation in their attempt to regain the Specsavers County Championship title.

Brooks said: "To win the championship in Siddy's last year would be the perfect send-off for him. That's what we're going to use as our main thrust for the season."

New Yorkshire skipper Gary Ballance, and new first-team coach Andrew Gale, may simply be hoping that Brooks can reproduce the form which saw him take 60 Division One wickets at 26.59 runs apiece in 2016, an achievement which earned him the County Championship bowler of the year award.

"I'm very happy," said Brooks, as he reflected on signing the contract extension. "I wasn't looking to leave and I've had a really good time since I joined a few years ago.

"My career has gone a lot better than I thought and it's a dream to spend another couple of years here.

"This will be my fifth season and I've probably played some of the best cricket of my career up here since I arrived from Northants. It's just great to extend that for another season.

"I like playing with this set of lads. They've all been brilliant. The fact that we're always up there and challenging for trophies is great too. That's important for professional sportsmen.

"I feel as if I've been adopted by the north. I've spent a lot of time up here and I'm still really enjoying it."

Brooks is still hoping he might earn a call-up to the full England side and believes a successful season with Yorkshire could force him into the reckoning.

He said: "As long as I'm a professional, I will always have England ambitions. I get out of bed every day hoping that I can one day play for England and I use that as a drive to get me through training. I've also still got unfinished business with Yorkshire and we want to go and win a few trophies.

"I've been involved in England Lions set-ups and international practices and our sessions are really intense and full on. You've got to be on your mettle every day. You know that when you turn up to net and you're bowling at guys who have played for their country and are top-quality opposition.

"It can get a bit feisty – but that's what I need. I need the competition element to compete and practice as it only improves you. You want to put yourself under pressure to see whether your skills match up under pressure."