Derbyshire have signed up four of their most talented young players on new contracts, tieing them to the County Ground until 2012.

Batsmen Dan Redfern, 19, Paul Borrington, 20, Jonathan Clare, 22 and off-spinner Jake Needham, 22, have all signed four-year deals.

And leg-spinner Mark Lawson has signed a deal until the end of the season.

The former Yorkshire man, 23, had originally been brought to Derby on a week-to-week contract.

Redfern and Borrington only signed new two-year deals in the summer of 2008, but Clare and Needham were due to see their contracts run out at the end of this season.

We have got four young cricketers here who I believe are going to be part of this club for a long time Derbyshire coach John Morris

Derbyshire coach John Morris said: "We have made this decision in order to back the young players who have come through our system to serve a proper apprenticeship in the game.

"I see these players as being the future of this club, not just for the next four years, but for the next 15 years.

"The supporters are beginning to see an improvement in where the team is going and if you can build the nucleus of your team around home grown talent, it is all good news for the club.

"It is very important to identify who are going to be big players in the future and we have got four young cricketers here who I believe are going to be part of this club for a long time."

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