Pudsey Congs all-rounder James Mid-dlebrook, released by Yorkshire at the end of the season, has joined Essex on a two-year rollover contract and has fired a parting shot at his former county.

The 24-year-old off-spinner and right-hand batsman had a trial game with Essex Seconds towards the end of the summer and has signed after recent talks with captain Ronnie Irani and coaches Graham Gooch and John Childs.

But he has admitted he felt let down by Yorkshire. At one stage Middlebrook appeared to have a promising future with them, but in 1999 he was out for several weeks after badly breaking a finger while substituting in the first match.

And last summer he seemed out of favour, Yorkshire first giving preference to Richard Dawson and then bringing in Australian-born Andy Gray.

"I am delighted to be staying in county cricket and am looking forward to a fresh start with Essex," said Middlebrook.

"I know I can play at first-class level, but I don't think I got sufficient opportunities with Yorkshire. Even after taking ten wickets against Hampshire at Southam-pton in the last match of the 2000 season, I was not picked for the first game this year.

"When I did come in for a couple of games after Dawson broke his hand I thought I did okay, but then I was dropped without being given any explanation.

"I suppose I did feel a bit badly treated by Yorkshire, but that is behind me and I now have the opportunity to play to my true potential.

"It is exciting to be going to Essex, where I should be able to improve my game with Goochie in charge of the batting and Childs looking after the bowling."

Middlebrook will be joining up with another former Yorkshire player in Paul Grayson, who spun bottom club Essex to a shock victory over the new champions at Scarborough in the final match of the season.

"I played golf with Paul last week and it was good to talk to him about Essex. Hopefully, we will be able to help get them on their feet again and earn promotion," he said.

Middlebrook made his debut for York-shire in 1998 and has since played in 23 first-class matches, taking 49 wickets at an average of 29.75 runs apiece.

Middlebrook's batting has improved to such an extent that he can now be regarded as a genuine all-rounder, and against Essex at Chelmsford last summer he hit his career-best score of 84 .

The three most experienced players Yorkshire released at the end of the season have all now found new counties, left-arm fast bowler Paul Hutchison being fixed up with Sussex and left-arm spinner Ian Fisher joining Gloucestershire.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire's players were in celebratory mood today as they prepared to attend the club's Championship Gala dinner tonight at the Queens Hotel, Leeds.

It should prove a memorable occasion for David Byas, who announced his retirement as captain at the end of the season after leading Yorkshire to the title.

Yorkshire's first team coach Wayne Clark is flying in from Australia for the event, and there is speculation that Darren Lehmann may put in a surprise appearance.

Tomorrow, Byas will take his triumphant team to Buckingham Palace where they will be presented to the Duke of Edin-burgh, and a week tomorrow the club's cricket committee will meet to agree formally on Byas's successor.

Lehmann is the only real candidate for the job and his appointment is virtually certain to be rubber-stamped.