JACK Shutt has signed a one-year contract extension to keep him at Yorkshire until at least the end of 2021.

Having committed a further year to the White Rose, Shutt said: “I’m very pleased. I’ve played a little bit of first team cricket now and I feel like I’ve learnt a lot.

“I know what the level is that I need to get to, and hopefully I can improve my game going forward so that I can do well at that level.

“The only way that you can learn is by playing and being around players of that quality, so hopefully this summer will really stand me in good stead going forward.”

The off-spinner made his first-class debut during this summer’s Bob Willis Trophy campaign and went on to play in three of the fixtures, recording a best of 2-14.

“I’m massively proud to have made my first-class debut for Yorkshire,” Shutt commented. “There’s a lot of tradition that goes with the club and it is a real honour to be able to play cricket for my home county.

“My performances were a bit up and down. Some good performances and some not so good, but I think I’ll learn from them either way.

“Hopefully, next year, I’ll get more opportunities and can be a bit more consistent.

“If it is more normal next year, it will be better for everyone, as we will have second team cricket running alongside the first team, so that lads that aren’t in the first-team squad can get a lot of overs under their belt, particularly in red-ball cricket.

“That way you can try to get a bit of form and knock on the door for first-team cricket.”

Having got a taste of first-team action in 2019, debuting in a Vitality Blast Roses clash in front of a packed crowd at Emerald Headingley, the 23-year-old has shown what he’s capable of in pressure situations.

While this summer has been frustratingly different in terms of crowd support, Shutt has assessed his performances and identified the areas to develop.

“All I can do is try to improve and take my game forward,” Shutt said.

“I know where I want to improve, so I’m going to work hard this winter and hopefully come the summer I’m in a good place. That way I can be pushing for opportunities.

“I’ve got a couple of little technical things that I’m looking at, some stuff with my run-up, but on the whole in red-ball cricket I think it’s about consistency.

“I’ve always spun the ball a fair amount, which I’d say is a strength of mine, but, from what I’ve experienced of first-team cricket so far, you have to be extremely consistent.

“The quality of batsman you’re bowling at is so high, so that’s definitely what I’ll be working on.”

Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s director of cricket, said: “Obviously he’s had limited opportunity in this shortened summer to play in the first team and he’s shown he’s someone who’s continuing to develop.

“The great asset that Jack has is that he spins the ball and we need to invest some time in him to help him develop. He’s certainly someone with huge potential.

“He’s not played a lot of red-ball cricket, even in the second eleven, because of a few injuries over the last few years, so he just needs to play cricket really.

“He was in great shape having been out to India for a month earlier this year, but then had three months where he couldn’t bowl, so that month was lost in a way.

“To only have a short season for a spin bowler, not being able to bowl many overs, has been a bit of a negative for him, so he just needs cricket.

“He needs to play matches, build up his confidence and his experience, so there’s no shortcut to that.”

This winter will see Shutt joined by Yorkshire’s latest recruit and fellow off-spinner Dom Bess, who arrives at the club on a four-year deal.

While this will provide further competition for places in the spinning ranks, the Barnsley-born Academy graduate is excited to work alongside the England man.

Shutt said: “Even though he’s only young, he’s played quite a lot of cricket now, both at county level and internationally, so he’s definitely someone I’d hope to be able to learn from.

“Nobody really knows how much he will be away with England. I suspect it could be a fair amount, so there could be opportunities in the red-ball stuff when he’s away, but we will see.”

Furthering the off-spinner’s sentiments, Moxon said: “Part of the reason behind signing Dom Bess is that it will give opportunities to our own spinners when Dom’s away playing for England, so hopefully we’ve got the best of both worlds.

“We’ve got an international spin bowler coming into the squad, we know all about him, his character and everything and he will be very much part of the spin bowling team, sharing information and (they'll all be) learning from each other.

“He’ll be a great asset to Shutty going forward.”

Looking ahead to 2021, there’s real optimism around what the White Rose can achieve following a strong campaign in this year’s red-ball competition.

“The lads were really good in the Bob Willis Trophy,” Shutt said.

“If it wasn’t for the weather we would have potentially been involved in the Lord’s final, but that’s out of our control.

“Things are definitely looking positive on the red-ball side for next year.”