Sidebottom returns to Yorkshire

Ryan Sidebottom is on his way back to Headingley after signing a three-year deal with Yorkshire.

Sidebotoom, 32, left Yorkshire in 2004 when he moved to Nottinghamshire where he was a key part of their Championship winning sides in 2005 and 2010. In that time he also enjoyed a resurgent international career after playing a single, wicketless Test against Pakistan in 2001.

He announced his retirement from international cricket at the end of the 2010 season after a series of injury problems and made clear his intentions to leave Nottinghamshire after being unable to agree terms with the club. Though money was not a concern, Sidebottom wanted the security of a three-year contract while Nottinghamshire were only willing to offer a full two-year deal.

It is a significant loss for Nottinghamshire after Sidebottom took 27 wickets at 21.55 from his eight first-class games this season. In the dramatic conclusion to Nottinghamshire's successful Championship season Sidebottom played a crucial role edging Nottinghamshire beyond 400 to secure a final bonus point, before claiming the wicket of Karl Brown to help the county take the crown.

Yet for Yorkshire, who almost pipped Nottinghamshire to the title, it is a major boon to have a senior paceman at the club. Sidebottom fits into the policy at the club of trying to build a predominantly Yorkshire-born team and offers both experience and stability, after a season where Yorkshire's new-ball pair, Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad, were both involved with the England side.

"I have enjoyed my time at Trent Bridge and with England enormously, but I'm a Yorkshire lad and the opportunity to return to Headingley Carnegie to end my career was something I couldn't ignore," said Sidebottom. "The Yorkshire side has some real quality and under Martyn Moxon and Andrew Gale made real strides forward. I want to give the county everything I can over the next three years and if we can reward the Yorkshire public with a trophy or two that would be fantastic."

Martyn Moxon, the Yorkshire coach, echoed the excitement and sees Sidebottom playing an important role in developing fast-bowing talent at the club. "I am delighted that Ryan has chosen Yorkshire ahead of many other interested counties," he said.

"I think that proves Ryan's Yorkshire pride in that he wants to return to Headingley Carnegie in 2011 and add his experience and talent to our bowling attack. He provides us with proven consistency and wicket-taking ability at county level and will provide Andrew Gale with a senior bowler of real quality to turn to next season."