Brooks takes the path less likely

By Matt Somerford

Jack Brooks senses that he might be on an unlikely pathway from Oxfordshire village idiot to Yorkshire dynasty maker.

The 30-year-old seamer collected his first ever LV= County Championship title with the White Rose on Friday and, after his 64 wickets were at the heart of Yorkshire’s success, he is hungry for more.

Brooks has taken the long way to the top – starting in Oxfordshire and going via Northamptonshire before arriving at Yorkshire two years ago – before establishing himself as a key part of a team that threatens to remain a major championship force in the years to come.

His prolific wicket-taking and effusive spirit have made him a fan favourite at Headingley and Brooks admits he has been left pinching himself after making such a mark on a club with Yorkshire's proud tradition.

“I’m just a little village idiot from Oxfordshire who has come up the M1,” he told ecb.co.uk.

“To be accepted by these boys and to now have our names up there as champions for the rest of our lives – to be part of that is something to be very proud of.

“It’s a very good club to be a part of at the moment. We’re well led, well organised and the boys enjoy each other’s company. There’s no idiots in the change-room, well…”

The average age of the XI that swept aside Nottinghamshire by an innings and 152 runs to claim their first top-flight title since 2001 was just 26 while 14 of the 19 players used in the championship this term played in the club’s academy.

With 36-year-old seamer Ryan Sidebottom skewing the figures too – and a number of young Yorkshiremen in the England Under-19s set-up – the future looks rosy for a period of sustained success.

“I hope so, even Siddy said he thinks he’s got a couple more (years) in him,” Brooks added.

“All the bowlers are around 30 so we’re in our prime. We’re going to go from strength to strength and hopefully we can create a bit of a dynasty - but for now we are going to celebrate this for a couple of weeks, months.”