Somerset have announced the signing of seamer Jack Brooks on a three-year contract from Yorkshire. The 34-year-old will move to Taunton at the end of the season.
Brooks' impending departure, first reported by ESPNcricinfo, is a blow to Yorkshire, who face a rebuilding job over the winter. England quick Liam Plunkett has already signed for Surrey - with Mathew Pillans moving in the opposite direction - while opener Alex Lees was granted a switch to Durham.
Although Brooks has never quite done enough to win England selection, he is a vastly experienced bowler at county level. A later-starter with Northamptonshire, he soon became a distinctive figure on the circuit, with his long hair, trademark headband and impassioned celebrations. He moved to Yorkshire in 2012, helping the club to win back-to-back Championships in 2014 and 2015. He has also played for England Lions.
"I'm extremely excited to be joining Somerset at a time when they are building a special team capable of challenging for trophies," Brooks said, "I truly believe this Somerset team can create something special.
"When I met Andy Hurry, Jason Kerr, Tom Abell and Andrew Cornish I was impressed straightaway with their vision for the team and club. Their togetherness and desire reminded me a lot of Yorkshire when I joined them.
"I look forward to continuing my cricketing journey and to the fresh challenges that await. My mum and her family are from Bath and I'll be nearer to my family in Oxfordshire, so it feels a little bit like I'm coming home. Somerset have a fantastic reputation as a strong family club which I look forward to being a part of."
Although in his mid-30s, Brooks has fine record in red-ball cricket, in particular, taking 291 wickets at 26.56 in six years at Headingley. He claimed 68 wickets to help Yorkshire to their first Championship title since 2001, and was their leading wicket-taker for three seasons in a row between 2014 and 2016.
However, while Yorkshire now find themselves battling at the wrong end of the Division One table, Somerset, in their pursuit of a first-ever Championship, have emerged as Surrey's closest challengers. They also secured a spot in Vitality Blast Finals Day with victory over the holders, Nottinghamshire, on Monday.
As well as being closer to home, the prospect of being involved in all three formats was perhaps a factor in Brooks moving to Taunton - he only played in 12 List A and 23 T20 fixtures for Yorkshire.
Somerset's director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said: "We are delighted that we have secured a player of Jack's proven quality, experience and character to add to one of the most exciting bowling attacks in the country. It's a great reflection of our ambition, and the progress that the club has made, that a player of his quality sees his ambitions of winning silverware with Somerset CCC.
"Alongside his experience of winning silverware, which will add to our ability to achieve our aspirations of winning trophies, he is incredibly competitive, driven and will be a great fit in the changing room. I have no doubt he will become a big favourite with the Somerset membership".