JACK Brooks will be welcomed back to Emerald Headingley in grand style by the Yorkshire faithful this weekend, believes his former new ball partner Ryan Sidebottom.

Brooks is due for his first trip back to his former home tomorrow with Specsavers County Championship leaders Somerset, who he joined in the winter.

A two-time Championship winner with Yorkshire in 2014 and 2015, the Oxford-born seamer claimed 301 wickets in 76 Division One appearances for the county between 2013 and 2018.

In the two title years, he claimed 133 wickets combined, hence his status as a crowd favourite.

Brooks and now retired left-arm swing bowler Sidebottom were exceptional together through the glory years, with the latter adding 89 wickets in seasons 2014 and 2015.

Sidebottom said: “I think we showed that we complemented each other really well. We also got on so well off the field as well.

“The big thing is that we enjoyed each other’s success with wickets. In a team environment, it’s about enjoying someone else’s success. And I loved watching Brooksy bowl.

“It’s a shame it had to end at some point. But he had a massive influence at Yorkshire, and it will not be forgotten.

“Brooksy was a huge part of that group that won the Championship because he had fun around the dressing room, he geed others up. He’s that infectious kind of guy that dragged along his team.

“You can see that this Somerset side are really enjoying their cricket. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.

“It will be strange seeing him bowling for Somerset at Headingley. He will get a rapturous welcome from the crowd because they absolutely love him, and rightly so because what he did at Yorkshire was help change the dynamic of the team both on and off the field.”

Sidebottom is planning to come down to Headingley this weekend to kill two birds with one stone; to watch his home county and to catch up with Brooks.

The ex-England star retired from playing at the end of the 2017 and spent last summer as a fast bowling consultant with county champions Surrey.

He is not doing that at present, instead taking a break having this winter taken part in the ITV reality show Dancing on Ice.

“I am really enjoying life away,” he added. “It’s been a bit different because, you know what, nobody gives a monkeys that I played cricket. When you go on a major TV show, it’s weird because people just say, ‘You’re that guy off Dancing on Ice aren’t you?’

“No one cares that I played for Yorkshire and England. I’ve really enjoyed the time away whilst doing bits and bobs of TV stuff.

“But I’ve grown up with cricket, and I’d still love to be involved in the game as a bowling consultant or coach at some point in the future.”