JOSH Poysden has used Joe Root’s return to Yorkshire colours as an example of how constant knowledge sharing will be vital to the county’s progression in all formats during the next few years.

Leg-spinner Poysden is back in action after 13 months away from the Yorkshire first team having suffered, and recovered from, a fractured skull last summer.

Poysden had a mixed Bank Holiday weekend, taking two wickets in the Vitality Blast victory over Derbyshire at Emerald Headingley on Sunday before being expensive in defeat against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Monday.

He will obviously be hoping for more of the former when Leicestershire visit Headingley for the fourth North Group fixture this evening (6.30pm), which Root will be available for.

“For me, I played one game last year and missed the rest of the campaign,” said Poysden. “But I like to think I’ve been around a bit now, even though I haven’t played recently.

“But you can really add to your experience with the conversations you have.

“As an example, on Thursday night when we were rained off against Notts, I bowled to Rooty indoors for about half an hour to 45 minutes. And that’s where you can really learn, talking to him about different things.

“That’s something really important within a squad, how people learn - not just on the field.

“I’m very clear on how I want to go about bowling, especially in the middle overs in T20.

“But, on Thursday, bowling indoors where it doesn’t spin, we spoke about bowling when it’s not really spinning.

“In T20 I like to attack the stumps, but maybe when it doesn’t spin and batsmen are coming hard at you, maybe going wider is an option, bowling at that wide line.

“That’s actually something I’ve been working on in the last six months, when I went to New Zealand and stuff. But to get that reinforcement from him was valuable.

“On Sunday, my last ball, I tried to hit the wide line, did and got a wicket caught extra cover.

“Just those little conversations (are vital). That’s not just been happening with Rooty, it’s everyone from Andrew Gale down.

“Matt Fisher could go back to the second team and one of the Academy lads is desperate to talk about death bowling.

“That’s something we want to happen right through the club, pass on all the knowledge we can.”

Poysden and Root will be joined in Yorkshire’s line-up this evening by David Willey, who has returned from England duty and will make his debut as the county’s full-time T20 captain.

Back to Poysden, and it is no surprise that he is loving being back in action.

“I was really excited waking up on Sunday morning because there’s nothing like playing in the first team and contributing to a win,” he said. “That’s why you train and do all the gym sessions.”

The 29-year-old spent lockdown in his home county of Sussex and then spent time training at Ditchling Cricket Club, close to his parents’ home, before being able to return to work at Headingley.

He is coming towards the end of his second year of a three-year contract with Yorkshire, for whom he has only played 16 times across all formats.

That haul includes three four-day appearances since initially joining on loan in mid-2018.

And while he is refusing to look too far ahead, he is very keen to ensure red ball cricket remains part of his future at Headingley.

He added: “I am a massive believer in sticking where you're feet are. At the moment, that’s in the T20 team. I just want to make sure I help and execute whatever my job is in that side.

“But I do want to play all formats, and it’s something I’m working hard towards.

“I spoke about those conversations and passing on learnings, and it’s the same in all formats.

“I’ll just keep trying to up-skill everything I do, whether that’s T20 or with a red ball.”

While Yorkshire have had a No Result, a win and a loss from their three matches so far, Leicestershire are a point better off having won one and had two No Results.

Their win came against Durham at Headingley on Monday afternoon.

Yorkshire squad to face Leicestershire tonight: Brook, Coad, Fisher, Fraine, Hill, Kohler-Cadmore, Lyth, Pillans, Poysden, Root, Shutt, Tattersall (wk), Thompson, Willey (c).