New recruit Matt Milnes is hoping Yorkshire will see the best of him as a fast bowler.
Milnes has signed a three-year deal to join the county from Kent, where he spent four years having moved to Canterbury from home club Nottinghamshire.
The seamer has taken 140 wickets in a first-class career which has not yet reached the 50-game mark.
That owes much to the fact the 28-year-old Nottingham-born quick was somewhat of a late starter in county cricket, only making his LV= Insurance County Championship debut a month short of his 24th birthday in June 2014.
“I actually think my age of 28 is a bit false in cricketing terms,” he said, as he prepares to begin winter training and thus his new life at Headingley within the next week.
“I came into the game at 23/24, so that’s potentially two or three years behind most bowlers.
“Look at someone like Matthew Fisher, he debuted at 15 or 16.
“Everyone has their own story, but because I came into the game only four or five years ago I think my age is more like a 25-year-old.
“They say you’re in your prime as a bowler at 28-32, and hopefully that’s the case for me over the next four or five years, maybe even longer.
“If so, that would be amazing for myself and Yorkshire.”
When the signing of Milnes was announced during the latter stages of the most recent summer, Yorkshire coach Ottis Gibson spoke of his excitement at the bowler’s determination to push his case for a maiden England call-up.
“That’s massively something I want to do,” added Milnes.
“I feel like I was quite close at one point, but potentially after a couple of injuries I’d found myself sliding down slightly.
“I certainly think it’s something that’s still achievable for me. But I know I’ve got to perform well here for Yorkshire to do that.”
