STEVE Patterson will, more than likely, take his 400th first-class wicket at some point during Yorkshire’s next two Specsavers County Championship matches, both of which will be special occasions.

Seven shy, Patterson could achieve the milestone against Warwickshire at York from Monday - a city in which Yorkshire have not played since 1890 - or in the following match against Surrey at Scarborough later this month, his favourite ground.

Funnily enough, the now White Rose captain made his Championship debut alongside Adil Rashid against Warwickshire at Scarborough in 2006, striking once: “That was a long time ago,” he smiled.

Fast-forward 13 years and ‘Patto’ is the heartbeat of the bowling attack.

“It’s always nice for someone who, as a young lad, bowled medium pace and wasn’t sure whether I was good enough to play at this level,” he admitted.

“To be closing in on that amount of wickets shows I’ve been able to contribute to the team.

“It’s something I was aware of at the start of the year that I wasn’t a million miles off. But when you finish, it’s more about the games you’ve won, like beating Essex last year when we were bowled out for 50 or winning the Championships.

“That’s what you play the game for. It’s not the personal things, it’s to win with your team-mates.”

Yorkshire head to York’s Clifton Park unbeaten in six Division One games, yet frustrated their last three have been rain-affected draws, most recently against champions Surrey at Guildford earlier this week.

They sit third with two wins and four draws, while Warwickshire are second bottom with one win and three defeats from five.

Patterson has taken 21 wickets in seven first-class appearances this season, including 20 in six Championship outings with this week’s 5-81 against Surrey his 2019 best.

“It would just be nice to get some wickets at home,” he continued.

“Nearly all the wickets I’ve got this year have been away, so it would be nice to contribute in front of our home supporters

“More importantly, it would be nice to get a full four days in and give ourselves a chance of winning because we’ve played some good cricket and the weather hasn’t really helped.”

On the next two games, separated by a week’s break, he said: “York will be a nice occasion and something different.

"I think we will be really well supported like we are at Scarborough. Hopefully that will bring out the best in us.

“Scarborough is my favourite venue. I watched my first cricket there probably 30 years ago, and it’s been a fond place ever since.”

Patterson, 35, has returned two four-wicket hauls and a five-for this season.

“I’m fairly pleased,” he said. “In a sense, I’m quite limited in what I can do as a bowler, and that helps me quite a lot because you focus only on what you do reasonably well.

“I’m not getting any younger, but I keep myself fit and do all my recovery. As long I keep doing that, I can keep contributing.”

Patterson took over the captaincy from Gary Ballance approximately this time last year. So has that job had a positive impact on his bowling?

“I don’t know really,” he added.

“Captaincy in general has given me a new motivation in that you think less about the personal milestones and more about what you can give to the team and what you can help them achieve.

“We have quite a young bunch and an inexperienced team at times. To play the cricket we have done this year is really pleasing.”