WORCESTERSHIRE paceman Charlie Morris has signed a one-year contract extension up until the end of the 2019 campaign.

Head coach Kevin Sharp has paid tribute to the hard work and commitment shown by Morris in battling back into first-team contention this season after a 19-month gap with his remodelled action.

Morris, who was 26 last month, played a major role in Worcestershire gaining promotion in the County Championship in 2014 with 52 wickets.

The Hereford-born player followed that up with another 44 in Division One including career-best match figures of 9-109 against visiting Somerset.

Morris, who made his first-class debut for Oxford MCCU six years ago, has taken 136 first-class wickets in 48 games at 32.56.

Now he is back in the first-team squad and started on the comeback trail after an ankle injury in last week’s Second XI Championship triumph over Derbyshire at Belper.

Sharp confirmed: “Charlie has extended his contract for another year. He has had a difficult couple of years but he had made his way back into the first XI before his recent injury and we wanted to reward that.

“He has had some very sound performances in the first XI this season so it’s all credit to him for the hard work he has put in that he has been rewarded with this extension.

“He is a very hard-working young man who cares passionately about the game and cares about this club and he wants to do well.

“There wouldn’t be a finer professional anywhere in terms of his attitude towards his fitness and his skills.

“It has taken some time and he has had his confidence knocked. That takes time to rebuild as well and as each week goes by he is gradually regaining that.”

Morris says playing with the emphasis on enjoyment has helped him to perform since returning to the senior squad this summer.

He said: “I’ve not been over-thinking cricket. I’ve just been enjoying it and I feel that takes pressure off myself. There is enough pressure out there when you go to perform.

“My mentality has just been to enjoy it and have fun and ‘what will be, will be’ and work as hard as I can in training and practice.

“I feel that’s so far put me in a really good place and I’m really enjoying my cricket.

“Most sports people would definitely say they play at their best when they are relaxed and that has been my mentality and it has been great to be back in the first team.”