Shaun Udal has agreed a two-year contract with Hampshire - and has thanked captain Shane Warne for the best season of his career.

Off spinner Udal, 35, reiterated his desire to finish his career with his home county after agreeing a deal that will tie him to Hampshire until the end of the 2006 season.

And he reckons he is playing better than ever after helping Hampshire win promotion to the county championship's first division by taking 39 wickets at 22.28 - and scoring 488 runs at 34.85.

Farnborough-born Udal, who has career averages of 33.16 (ball) and 23.56 (bat), said: "I've definitely improved my game the older I've got. My performances in the last six or seven years are better than my performances in the first six or seven years, and last season was the best of my career.

"I can't ever remember having a season like that and the main reason was Shane Warne. He made a big difference and gave me extra confidence. There were times when people thought we should have played with an extra seamer instead of me but Shane backed me, he told me that I was as good a bowler as any off spinner in the country and that I gave us balance.

"He made me believe in myself like I never have done. I started out under Mark Nicholas, who was a great captain, but Warney is even better and that's partly because he realises how tough a job bowling is.

"All the bowlers who played for us this year came up trumps and a lot of that was down to Warney's captaincy, he was phenomenal."

Udal reckons captaining Hampshire to championship wins against Somerset and Derbyshire, as well as qualification for the Twenty 20 quarter-finals, was also a significant factor in his annus mirabilis.

"The best confidence booster was being made captain and hopefully I'll captain the club again when Shane is playing for Australia next year," added Udal, who is currently working for a printing firm in his home-town Basingstoke.

New signing Kevin Pietersen wants to develop his off spin and Hampshire Academy and England under-19 off spinner Mitchell Stokes is also one for the future.

But dad-of-three Udal, whose wife Emma gave birth to son Jack at the end of the season, wants to play for more than two more years.

"My fitness is not a problem and I'm confident I've got a few years left in me, I'll go on as long as I can. I want to end my career with Hampshire, I'll never play for anyone else and a two-year deal was all I could possibly hope for.

"I would have been very disappointed if I had been offered less but to be fair to the club that is what I was offered and I've accepted.

"I'm delighted because I signed my first contract with Hampshire in 1987 so this will take me up to my 20th season.

"I'd love to play until I'm 40 and I'm very confident that I can play for another four years. But if my time comes up in two years' time I will just have to accept that."