Gloucestershire’s bowler of last year David Payne has signed a contract extension that will see him remain at the club until the end of the 2023 season.

Currently the club’s longest serving player, Payne marks his 10th season as a professional with a new deal that guarantees his time at Gloucestershire for at least four more seasons.

“I’m very pleased to be able to extend my stay at Gloucestershire,” said the left-arm seamer. “It’s a really exciting time for the club, both on and off the field, so it was a no brainer for me to commit here and try to bring more silverware back to Bristol.

“I’m still extremely motivated to play at the next level and I know this is the place where I can achieve that goal.”

At the age of 28, he is just entering his prime as a bowler, bowling over 500 overs and taking 68 wickets in all competitions last season; the most fruitful campaign of his career.

Beginning his Gloucestershire career as a teenager in the academy, Payne signed his first professional contract in 2009 at the age of 18. Since then he has racked up 95 first-class appearances and 263 wickets.

However, his contributions with the ball have come across all formats. A strike rate of 26.0 in List-A cricket places him seventh in the world among active players, ahead of Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan and India’s Jasprit Bumrah. He has also contributed over 15 wickets in each of the last three seasons in the Vitality Blast.

His one-day performances led him to being selected to play for Welsh Fire in the inaugural season of The Hundred.

Gloucestershire head coach Richard Dawson said: “I’m delighted that David has committed to a further two years at the club. He is coming off the back of a very successful campaign and is hungry for more success in 2020.

“He has been a huge part of the club’s success in recent history and he will continue to be a vital part of the team for the next number of seasons.

“The next few years will give him an opportunity to prove himself among the best cricketers in the country.

“He is a hugely popular player among our fans and as a senior member of the team he relishes the opportunity to nurture younger talent. His value extends well beyond the boundary.”

One of Gloucestershire’s most memorable moments in recent history was the Royal London Cup victory over Surrey in 2015 in which Payne bowled the final over at Lord’s to seal the win.

He will play in Division One of the County Championship for the first time in 2020.