New deals for Wakely and Brooks

Alex Wakely has been a fixture in Northamptonshire's batting line-up since regsitering a maiden championship hundred

Northamptonshire have handed new two-year contracts to two of their promising young players, Alex Wakely and Jack Brooks.

The new deals keep the duo at Wantage Road until the end of the 2011 season.

Wakely, 20, a former England Under-19 captain, scored his maiden first-class century this season, 113 not out against Glamorgan in the LV= County Championship match at Cardiff.

Fast bowler Brooks, 25, from Oxfordshire, made his first-class debut against Australia, and started two back-to-back championship games recently.

Wakely said: “I am very happy to have signed a new two-year contract at the club. The club have had a very exciting season this year and I am enthusiastic about our prospects over the next two years.

“I love playing my cricket here and I want to be a part of a winning side which I am sure we will do with the players we have at the club.”

Brooks said: “I’m very happy to have signed a new two-year deal here at Northants. Hopefully people will see more of me in the first team over the next couple of seasons.

“This first season has gone better that I ever expected and I’m looking forward to becoming a reliable member of the first team.”

Northants head coach David Capel added: “I’m pleased that Alex has signed for two years. He is a young cricketer who is improving all the time.

“He scored a first-class century this season and we are looking forward to him being here, furthering his career and hopefully becoming a top cricketer in the English game.”

“Jack’s emergence this season his been really good for the club. We fancied that he was going to be a good bowler when we saw him last year in the Second XI.

“We haven’t been disappointed with what we have seen of him in first-class cricket. He had made a start and with an extra two years here, he can continue to develop and become a real force for the team.”