Ryan Sidebottom among four players to extend Warwickshire contracts

Sidebottom, Will Rhodes, Henry Brookes and Alex Thomson will all now remain with the club beyond the end of the 2019 season

Warwickshire have tied four players down to extended contracts at Edgbaston.

Ryan Sidebottom, Will Rhodes, Henry Brookes and Alex Thomson will all now remain with the club beyond the end of the 2019 season.

Australia-born Sidebottom, 29, will be with the Bears until at least the end of the 2020 campaign after penning a one-year extension.

Brookes, who only turned pro in 2017, has committed to a stay through until 2021, with Rhodes also signing on for two more years.

Thomson, meanwhile, has accepted a one-year extended deal.

Sport director Ashley Giles said: “Will, Ryan, Henry and Alex are all excellent professionals and have big futures ahead of them as Bears. Extending the contracts of the four players beyond their original 2019 season end gives confidence and security to both the player and ourselves.

^{Henry Brookes will stay with Warwickshire until 2021}

“Will has enjoyed a fantastic breakthrough season in the Championship and the opening partnership that he has formed with Dom Sibley has the potential to serve the Bear & Ragged Staff for many years. Despite being ever present in the Championship, he’s only made two appearances in both white ball formats, but his ability with bat and ball could play an important role for us in List A and T20 in 2019.

“Ryan was unlucky with injury in the early part of last season, but he still took an impressive 25 wickets at an average of 25.76 in nine games to help us to promotion and the Division Two title. With the departures of Chris Wright and Keith Barker, Ryan is now a senior member of our attack and he will also play an important role in helping our younger bowlers develop.

“Henry made a big impact across all three formats in 2018 and demonstrated why is being talked about as one of the most exciting, young fast bowlers the game. He has a huge future ahead of him with Warwickshire, Birmingham Bears and potentially England, and he is developing well under Graeme Welch.

“Alex is a model professional and he made match-winning contributions with both bat and ball in the second XI last season, whilst also showing glimpses of what he can do is his one List A and T20 appearance. He’s made a great impression with all of the cricket management team in his debut season and he has the potential to play a much bigger role in the first team if he continues developing his game.”

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