Ajmal Shahzad has given the strongest hint yet that his future lies with Yorkshire.

“I was born and bred in Huddersfield, lived most of my life in Bradford, and I am a Yorkshire lad through and through,” said the 24-year-old.

Shahzad is currently mulling over a new contract offer from his Headingley bosses and has turned a number of heads with a string of impressive displays in County Championship and one-day cricket.

Worcestershire were interested in his services but pulled out due to financial constraints, while Middlesex and Warwickshire are also thought to be monitoring his situation.

But they may all be left disappointed: “I hope to stay here,” said the ex-Bradford League pace bowler.

Shahzad has taken 31 wickets at an average of 37.07 in the Championship, his best return in the competition.

And he returned an impressive two for 19 from eight overs during Yorkshire’s most recent Pro40 League Division Two win against Gloucestershire at Headingley.

His last few seasons have been ravaged by injury. He has played 11 Championship matches this year, which is four more than he played in 2006, 2007 and 2008 as a collective.

He had only taken 12 Championship wickets prior to this campaign.

“I need to keep progressing,” said Shahzad, who will play a key role in this week’s LV Division One clash with Sussex at Hove, which starts today.

“I want to establish myself as a first-class cricketer, then hopefully make my way into the England Lions set-up and then England’s full team at some stage. I need to work out what is the best pathway for me to get there is.”

Shahzad’s performances have caught the eyes of the England selectors, and a call-up to their Performance Programme squad for the first half of this winter is by no means beyond him.

Yorkshire go into tomorrow’s match with a four-point cushion over relegation rivals Sussex, while they are 12 behind Hampshire and 18 behind Lancashire, who they have a game in hand on.

Hampshire, their final week opponents at Headingley, began their penultimate fixture against Durham at the Rose Bowl today.