“It hurts me to see the position we are currently in, fighting to stay in Division One and not winning trophies.

“All I have ever wanted was to win games for Essex and contribute to silverware. I hope that over the course of these next years I can be integral in doing that once more.”

Westley – who has been club captain since 2020 – has hit 41 centuries, 32 of them in first-class cricket – including three in this season’s Championship, in which he averages 43.21.

“It’s great to have Tom committing to another two years with Essex,” director of cricket Chris Silverwood said.

“Tom has been an integral member of the squad for many years, bringing a wealth of experience and a strong desire to help the club continue moving forward and achieving success.”