Worcestershire secure Cox until 2020

Ben Cox has signed a new four-year contract committing him to Worcestershire until the end of the 2020 season.

Cox, aged just 24 but already a veteran of seven seasons in the professional game, has developed into an outstanding wicketkeeper over the last few years. He was also the county's second highest run-scorer in Division One of the County Championship in the 2015 season and is averaging above 40 in this year's competition.

Cox, like most of the Worcestershire side, has developed through the club's system and joins nine of his first team colleagues in signing a long-term deal that demonstrates obvious commitment from both parties. His current contract was due to expire at the end of this season and he was beginning to attract admiring glances from other counties.

"We are delighted Ben has signed the new contract," Steve Rhodes, Worcestershire's director of cricket, said. "He is such a club man and team man. He is a Worcestershire man through and through. To have somebody of his loyalty towards the club, and passion for the club, to reward him with a long contract is exactly what we are all about.

"He is a terrific cricketer now, as consistent a wicket-keeper in county cricket that I have seen and to do that at a young age is incredibly good. But also he has match-winning experience and ability with the bat in the different formats.

"It is very tricky going into bat towards the end of an innings in one-day cricket and he does it superbly and often is there at the finish and winning games of cricket."

The only complication for Worcestershire comes in attempting to fulfil the ambitions of Cox and Joe Clarke. Clarke, a 20-year-old batsman of rare potential, also has wicketkeeping aspirations - he kept for England Under-19 and also, at times, for Worcestershire in pre-season - and may feel his opportunities are now blocked by the confirmed presence of Cox.

While Clarke, currently not in Cox's class as a keeper, is also secured on a long-term deal until the end of 2018, if he does decide to pursue opportunities elsewhere, he would have no shortage of takers. He was with the England squad during the final ODI against Sri Lanka as a reserve fielder.

"I'm just delighted to sign the length of contract I have at Worcestershire," Cox said. "I want to play my cricket here and for the club to back that up and show they have faith in me for the next four years is tremendous.

"I'm a Worcester boy through and through. I've been here since I was nine years old and never thought of leaving. To sign for another four years is brilliant.

"I see this squad of players winning silverware at some point whether it be this year, the next couple of years or three or four years down the line. We've got the players to win trophies."