YORKSHIRE may have a secret weapon in the pursuit of Northamptonshire all-rounder David Willey – his former team-mate Jack Brooks.

With the England star available for a move despite having one year left on his contract at Wantage Road, the White Rose are one of a number of counties already linked.

Willey put his name up in lights with a blistering Twenty20 century against Sussex at Hove last week.

His Northants team visit Headingley today in the final Royal London one-day Cup group match, one which Yorkshire have to win to secure qualification for the quarter-finals for the second year running.

On commentary last week, ex-England batsman Ed Joyce said he expected 17 counties to be interested in his services.

“That’d probably be about right,” said Brooks, whose move to Yorkshire from Northants ahead of 2013 has proved hugely successful.

"He shows up to the big occasions really well, he always has done.

“He's quite a stubborn character. I know him quite well because we played in the same team and signed on at Northants at pretty much the same time. He's improved out of sight.

"It wouldn't surprise me if we were talking to him.

“I've had a word in his ear throughout the time I've been at Yorkshire. We've kept in contact and congratulated each other on trophies.

"All I know is he's a very ambitious cricketer, but he's a home boy. He loves Northampton. He's been brought up in the town, his parents live there and all his friends are there.

“It would be a big ask for him to leave, but when he looks at his career, he might want to rethink that.

"The world's his oyster. He's in a position where he can pick and choose. Whoever gets him, he will be a massive addition to their squad, particularly in one-day cricket.

"The way our one-day cricket might go next year, we might revamp the team a bit. Younger players might be given a go in a bid to improve our one-day cricket.

“He would be someone who I'm sure the coaching staff have talked about in terms of trying to get him into the club.

"When he first came in at Northants, he was a bits and pieces cricketer. He was a good fielder and good athlete.

"I still don't really know if he's a bowler who bats or a batter who bowls because he opens the batting in one-day cricket and smashes it and opens the bowling and swings it.

“In the Championship, he bats seven, eight or nine and still smashes it. His bowling has perhaps been a bit off in four-day cricket this year, but he's done incredibly well.

"He's a big player for them. I think he's going to have a really good international career, not just because of his ability, but his character as well. He's the kind of player who supporters want to watch.”

A Northants win today, in a televised 10.30am start, will take them over the Vikings in the Group A table, although Yorkshire may still be able to sneak through on net run-rate ahead of Durham.

A Yorkshire win and a Gloucestershire defeat at home to Surrey could still see Alex Lees’ side claim a top-two finish and a home tie in the last eight.