Surrey v Yorkshire: Age is of no concern to Sidebottom or grateful Yorkshire

The former England pace bowler, 35, is the club’s leading wicket-taker in the County Championship this summer with 47 at 19.70.

And the left-armer, who last week signed a one-year extension to his contract that will keep him at Yorkshire until December 2015, insists that he is improving the older he gets.

“I think I’m getting better with age,” said Sidebottom, who will be looking to increase his tally in the final match of the season against Surrey at The Oval, starting today.

“I think I’m bowling as well as I ever have done – if not better.

“I think that being experienced and knowing my own game helps.

“I suppose you just get into a bit of a rhythm, and you come to understand what works for you more.”

Sidebottom will be one month short of his 38th birthday when his new deal expires.

But rather than contemplate hanging up his whites, he says he is not even thinking about calling it a day.

“It hasn’t crossed my mind for even a second,” stressed Sidebottom, who has previously outlined his desire to continue playing for as long as possible.

“I’m not even thinking about retiring. I’ve still got two or three years left in me at least

“To be honest, there’s no reason why I can’t go beyond 2015.”

Such has been Sidebottom’s form in recent times that it seems incredible to reflect that he returned to Yorkshire in October 2010 after Nottinghamshire decided not to offer him a longer deal.

Sidebottom wanted the security of a three-year contract but Nottinghamshire were unwilling to meet his demands.

“When I left Notts I’d just finished with England and I wanted to play for another four or five years,” he said.

“Notts were just offering me one or two years and I wanted three or four.

“I’d retired from England and felt I still had a lot more to offer.

“I’d have been available a lot more as well because, as I say, I’d retired from England.”

Sidebottom made an immediate impact on his return to Yorkshire.

In 2011 he took 62 first-class wickets at 22.00 – statistically his most successful season.

Although he managed only 24 last summer at 33.25, it was the wettest summer for 100 years and bowlers up and down the country were affected.

This season he has been as prolific as ever, leading the line magnificently as Yorkshire stormed to a second-placed finish in the Championship First Division.

“Obviously it was disappointing to miss out on the title this year but the lads have played some great cricket along the way,” he added.

“You’ve also got to give a lot of credit to Durham; to have won 10 games out of 15 so far is an amazing achievement.

“It would have been nice to have had a few more wins at home and to have played on wickets a bit more conducive to our seam bowling, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

“The great thing is that we’re developing as a team and we’ve got a lot of young lads who are still improving.”

Sidebottom’s statistics this season are even more impressive considering Yorkshire have three other pace men vying for the spotlight.

Steve Patterson is not far behind in the wickets column with 45 at 23.80, while new signings Jack Brooks (34 at 22.76) and Liam Plunkett (36 at 28.33) have equipped themselves well.

“It’s been a genuine team effort this year,” said Sidebottom.

“It’s not about one person and all the bowlers help each other along and give each other advice, and we all work together on-and-off the field.

“You do get some selfish players in cricket but that isn’t the case with this Yorkshire team.

“When Patto takes wickets, for example, I’m absolutely delighted for him.

“And although I’d love to finish as the leading wicket-taker at the end of this week, I’d be totally happy for Steve if he beat me to the mark.”

Sidebottom believes the Yorkshire coaching and backroom staff deserve great credit for keeping him on the park.

The coaches have managed his workload sensibly, resting him for YB40 games, while he has been well looked after by the medical staff.

“Yorkshire have been absolutely brilliant with me,” he said.

“They’ve rested me at the right times and made sure that I’m always fresh on the field.

“It just makes me even more determined to repay the faith they’ve shown in me by giving me a longer contract.

“It makes me even more fired up to produce the goods on the pitch.”

Changes meade to Yorkshire’s conditioning team

Yorkshire have appointed their former spinner Ian Fisher as one of two new strength and conditioning coaches.

Fisher, who has held a similar role at Essex for the last two seasons, replaces the departing Tom Summers and will be assisted by 23-year-old Blaine Clancy.

Yorkshire have confirmed that 37-year-old Fisher, who also played for Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, and Clancy “will be fully responsible for the management of player training from November 2013”.

Martyn Moxon, director of cricket at Headingley, said: “We are delighted to appoint Ian and Blaine.

“There was a lot of interest in the role and we feel we have recruited two excellent practitioners.

“They are both young and enthusiastic and fully understand the demands of county cricket.

“I’m sure they will develop into a strong team and will take the players onto the next level over the years to come.”