ESSEX have announced Ben Allison, Will Buttleman and Aron Nijjar have all signed contract extensions with the club.

Allison has featured heavily for the second team over the last few years and made his T20 debut towards the end of the 2020 campaign while wicket-keeper Buttleman made several first team appearances last year.

Nijjar also lined up in nine of the 10 Vitality Blast this season and Essex head coach Anthony McGrath is delighted that the young trio will be staying put.

“All these lads have talent, and you can never have too many talented players in your side," said McGrath.

“Ben has been in and around the first team for a few years now and is a real prospect for the future. He’s a confident young man and always wants the ball in his hand, and everybody at the club is excited about his potential.

“Will has first team experience and has always impressed behind the stumps. His skill set has come on a lot over the last 12 months and like with Ben, the coaches and I are keen to see how he develops over the coming years.

“Aron is a skilled and trustworthy bowler and was one of the notable players during our Vitality Blast campaign this year.

"He hasn’t always found game time easy to come by, but he’s always performed well when called upon, and hopefully he can push on and play more games in 2021.”