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Brooks returns to Oxfordshire for T20 campaign

Jack Brooks of Somerset
Jack Brooks was part of the Somerset team that won the T20 blast in 2023 [Getty Images]

Former Somerset bowler Jack Brooks has signed for Oxfordshire ahead of their National Counties T20 campaign.

The 39-year-old announced back in September that he would be leaving Somerset where he enjoyed a four-year stint.

"We always had in mind that I would come back and play or have some sort of role with the county,” Brooks said.

“I played my first representative game for Oxfordshire at 10 and played for every age group through to the development side.

"I’m a proud Oxfordshire lad through and through."

Brooks was part of the Somerset team that won the T20 blast in 2023, easing past Surrey and Essex on finals day to win the crown last summer.

He retired from first-class cricket at the end of last season after a distinguished career in which he took more than 650 wickets in all formats during stints with Northamptonshire, Yorkshire and Somerset.

Brooks won two County Championship titles during his six years at Headingley.

As well as playing a role for Oxfordshire in their upcoming campaign, Brooks is turning his attentions to coaching.

He is a player and coach at Banbury, has been invited to work with Surrey’s second XI and is also coaching with the South Asian Cricket Academy and Central Sparks women’s team.

“I’m pretty passionate," Brooks added.

"I’m going down the coaching route, back living in the county and I hope that I will be the go-to person in the county, certainly for bowling coaching.”

Brooks was included in the 13-man squad Oxford took to Shropshire last Sunday but the game was abandoned due to poor conditions.