TIM Bresnan could be playing for Yorkshire until he celebrates the big four zero, according to county captain Andrew Gale.

All-rounder Bresnan’s form, particularly with the bat, this summer means he has been one of the leading lights in the county’s run to the top of the LV= County Championship table.

Having been largely overlooked by England, apart from for a one-day international in Ireland in May just a couple of days after the majority of the regular internationals had finished a Test series in the Caribbean, the 30-year-old has excelled in county cricket.

A refined approach to the bowling crease had gained him 26 wickets from nine matches ahead of the ongoing clash with Worcestershire at Scarborough’s North Marine Road, which started yesterday.

And a simplified approach to his batting has yielded an exceptional 512 runs at an average of 64, with two hundreds in the middle to lower order, including a career-best 169 not out at Durham recently.

“Brezzy’s form with the bat this year has been incredible,” said Gale, also Bresnan’s brother-in-law.

“He’s fulfilling his potential. He’s always looked in the nets like a proper batsman but I guess he’s not had a run in county cricket for a while. He’s come to the party now.

“I hope he gets 1,000 runs, but don’t tell him because he’s doing my head in telling me he’s got more runs than me. I keep telling him that he’s paid to bowl!

“I think Brez has got to be smart. I’ve told him he can play cricket until he’s 40 years old.

“He could play a role, like Mark Ealham, of a fourth or fifth seamer who bats at number six.

“Brezzy’s workload throughout his career has been a hell of a lot. I think he’s only bowled 700 fewer overs than Ryan Sidebottom, who is seven years older than he is.

“He loves playing cricket, and for Yorkshire particularly. He’s a big character around the dressing room, that’s for sure.

“I don’t see him losing his appetite for that anytime soon. I think that’s why he enjoys his batting so much. He’s never had a good run at it. Any opportunity he gets to tell people about his batting, he is doing.”

Bresnan has never scored more than 679 first-class runs in a season before.

A lot of that is owed to missing matches through England call-ups, but there is no doubt this summer has seen a marked improvement in his form. But why?

The man himself has a pretty simple answer.

“Maybe I’m watching it a bit harder, I don’t know,” he said. “I think that’s a pretty good place to start!

“I’m in pretty good nick and have lined it up nicely all year.

“If you’re in, you can play your shots and build a partnership with the bloke at the other end and not really worry about your own score so much. That’s how I’ve been playing this year.”