Sam Conners hoping Derbyshire can provide England springboard after committing until 2024

The seamer, who took 50 wickets in the County Championship last summer, had entered the final 12 months of his deal at the Incora County Ground but will now remain until the end of next season

Sam Conners is hopeful Derbyshire can provide a springboard into the England senior team after committing to the club until 2024.

The 23-year-old reached 50 wickets in the County Championship last summer to force himself into the Lions reckoning.

But after entering the final 12 months of his deal at the Incora County Ground he has signed a year-long extension to remain part of the Mickey Arthur revolution.

"I love playing for Derbyshire with this group of players and coaches, so this decision wasn't a hard one at all," said the academy graduate, who has represented the club 58 times across the formats

"I felt I made good strides in 2022 and now I'm looking forward to helping my club to success in 2023.

^{Conners was the youngest seamer to reach 50 Championship wickets last term (Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)}

"I'll be working with Mickey and  Ajmal (Shahzad, bowling coach) every day to take my game to the next level."

Conners' domestic form has seen him rewarded with Lions opportunities. During the summer he played against the touring South Africans, taking 4 for 25 at Canterbury.

And in the off-season he travelled to the United Arab Emirates for a Lions training camp, playing against England prior to the Pakistan Test series, dismissing Ollie Pope.

But that isn't the extent of his international ambitions.

"It's my dream to play international cricket and represent Derbyshire on the biggest stage, I got a taste in 2022 with the Lions and I'll be doing everything in my power to make that dream a reality," he added.

^{Conners will hoe to assist Derbyshire's push for silverware in 2023 (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

Brooke Guest and Wayne Madsen have both committed to Derbyshire during the off-season following an encouraging first campaign under Arthur - who himself has rebuffed overtures from Pakistan.

Arthur added: "Sam played a lot of cricket in 2022 and he bowled every ball with the same level of effort, that’s the kind of attitude we want in our dressing room, so this extension is really pleasing. 

"His England Lions appearances are an example of why we want to be the county of choice because if a player is performing, we will give them the stage to progress to those heights. 

"He should also be an inspiration to our Pathway, who can see how far that journey can take them."

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