Yorkshire off-spinner-batsman Richard Dawson has signed a new one-year contract with the Tykes after talks with director of cricket David Byas.

Several other counties showed an interest in the former England player towards the end of the season but Dawson has now committed himself to Yorkshire for a further 12 months.

"I have had a good chat with David Byas and we discussed the county's plans for next season," said Dawson.

"He convinced me that it was in my best interests to stay. I know that Yorkshire are very ambitious and playing in the first division of the Championship next season is something I am really looking forward to.

"Hopefully, we can carry on the momentum we built up last season and also improve on our one-day performances."

Dawson has now rejected approaches from other counties for two consecutive seasons but it could still be in the back of his mind that he might improve his chances of a return to Test cricket if he were attached to a club which provided more spinner-friendly pitches.

On the other hand, if Dawson were to commit himself to Yorkshire for a much longer period he would be the firm favourite to take over the captaincy whenever Craig White vacates the seat.

Dawson is acknowledged as having a keen tactical brain and he impressed last season on the few occasions he stood in for White.

All members of Yorkshire's playing staff are now contracted for at least next season and players who have just signed new or newly extended contracts are: Dawson, Tim Bresnan, Nick Thornicroft, Mark Lawson, Richard Pyrah, Andrew Gale, Joe Sayers and Simon Guy.

I revealed a few weeks' ago that South African fast bowler, Deon Kruis, who finished the 2005 season with 64 Championship wickets, had signed for a further two years as a Kolpak player.

Yorkshire's new South African-born wicketkeeper-batsman Gerard Brophy, who has joined them from Northamptonshire on a two-year contract, will be welcomed to Headingley on Monday by Byas.

Brophy, 29, who holds a British passport and is not classed as an overseas player, is a batsman of proven ability and should shore up the middle order.

Brophy has so far played in 53 first-class matches, scoring 2,508 runs at an average of 34.83. He has hit five centuries and 12 half-centuries and his two highest scores are 185 for the South Africa Academy v the President's XI in Harare and 181 for Northants against Sussex at Hove in 2004. Behind the stumps, Brophy has held 125 catches and pulled off seven stumpings.

Updated: 09:30 Saturday, October 22, 2005