Palladino has best figures of 2-51 this season

Essex pace bowler Tony Palladino has agreed a new two-year contract with the club, taking him up to the end of 2009.

The 24-year-old, a member of the county's first Academy group, made his debut in 2003 and is now fully fit after a spate of niggling injuries.

"Other fringe players have kicked on so I hope to follow them by staking my claim towards being capped," he said.

Chief Executive David East said: "He's a great example of our development framework and has progressed well."