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Essex pace bowler Jamie Porter has agreed a new deal to keep him at the club until the end of the 2027 season.
The 30-year-old has spent his entire career with his home county and taken 505 first-class wickets.
Only two players exceeded his 57 wickets in County Championship Division One last summer – his team-mate Simon Harmer and Brett Hutton, of Notts.
“I’ve developed massively as a cricketer during the decade I’ve spent here,” Porter said.
“There’s been a lot of change this winter in the squad, but I still believe we have one of the strongest groups in the country and I’m looking forward to playing a big part in the years ahead.”
Porter helped Essex win the title in 2017 and 2019, and the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020.
And he was back to his best last summer, having begun a new fitness regime after injury problems restricted him to just 19 wickets in eight games in 2022.
“Jamie’s resilience spoke for itself last year as, after a tough couple of seasons with injury, he re-established himself as one of the best bowlers in the country,” said head coach Anthony McGrath.
“We’ve known all about his quality for years, so we were delighted for him when it all came together again last summer.”
Essex begin their 2024 campaign with a game against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, starting on 5 April.
They have lost Sir Alastair Cook, now retired, and Dan Lawrence from their batting line-up but have signed former South Africa captain Dean Elgar and ex-Kent wicketkeeper Jordan Cox.
