WORCESTERSHIRE wicketkeeper Ben Cox has hailed his side’s chances of making inroads in Division One of the County Championship after penning a new four-year deal.
Cox believes keeping the current group of players and adding experienced campaigners like Steve Magoffin will boost the chances of the Pears surviving in Division One next season.
The 25-year-old still had three seasons to run of his present contract but has signed an improved and extended deal until the end of the 2021 season.
Cox enjoyed another excellent season with the bat and behind the stumps. He scored a career-best 124 not out against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham and only the retiring Chris Read, of Nottinghamshire, ended with more victims in Division Two.
Cox’s efforts earned him the Dick Lygon Award – effectively the clubman of the year – at the county’s awards evening and he also was named in the PCA Team Of The Year for 2017.
The former Bromsgrove School pupil, who made his first team as a 17-year-old, is the 11th Worcestershire player to have committed his future to the club in 2017 via a new contract.
“In general it’s been a real good year for the club and with with everyone signing, it’s a statement of intent from the club that they want all the players here now signing long term contracts and I think it’s good for everyone,” said Cox.
“We want to keep the group of players together we’ve got now, add to that and strengthen which we have with Steve Magoffin already, and hopefully we can add more and start making inroads in Division One.
“The Dick Lygon Award was a nice little surprise at the end of the season and, as far as being part of the PCA Team Of The Year, what is most pleasing is it is done on statistics.
“It is done on runs and catches throughout the year in all three formats and it’s nice to be there above Ben Foakes and Alex Davies.
“Obviously Foakesy is on the main tour with England to Australia and Alex is part of the Lions squad.
“If my MVP stats are ahead of those two across all three formats, then I must be doing something right.”
Director of cricket Steve Rhodes is delighted to see Cox sign a new contract at New Road.
“I am delighted the lads are sticking together and want to be part of a side which we hope can achieve more success going forward,” he said. “The more everyone stays together, the greater the chance will be of achieving that.”