Chambers extends Essex deal

Maurice Chambers, the Essex fast bowler, has extended his contract with the club by two seasons.

"It's nice to have secured my future with Essex," Chambers said. "Last season was my best so far since graduating from the academy. I played in most of the Twenty20 games and a couple of Championship matches so it was a good season."

Chambers, 21, impressed many with his raw pace in 2008, featuring in 11 of Essex's 12 matches in their run-up to the Twenty20 Cup Finals Day, picking up 10 wickets at 22.10. And he has recovered sufficiently from his recent ankle surgery to attend an ECB fast-bowling training camp in Loughborough later this month, and in Florida on December 21.

"All being well I might start walking through my run-up at Loughborough before going to Florida, which is going to be mainly fitness-based. I'm looking forward to it but it's going to be a lot of hard work. The ECB have shown a lot of faith in me to keep me involved in these groups and I hope to continue to progress next season by playing more first-team games for Essex."