Runs will be key as Yorkshire eye return to the top
WHILE 2016 was a year of many changes at Headingley, those at Yorkshire are determined to make 2017 a year of similarities.
Last season was the first since 2013 that Yorkshire had not won the County Championship, with Middlesex lifting the trophy after a thrilling final day at Lord’s.
Coach Jason Gillespie departed the north of England to return Down Under. He has returned to England as Kent’s interim assistant coach, but in his place at Headingley comes former captain Andrew Gale.
Gale retired at 32 to take charge of the White Rose and it’s an appointment that offers continuity, with Gary Ballance taking the reins as captain.
That duo have many experienced heads to call upon. Ryan Sidebottom, who will retire at the end of the season, missed a large chunk of 2016 having fractured an ankle, and the veteran will want to go out at the top.
Jack Brooks has a large chunk of experience under his belt now, too. The headband-wearing Brooks was the leading seamer in Division One last summer, his 60 wickets coming at an average of 25, and he’ll have former England man Tim Bresnan back fit following elbow surgery.
And Steve Patterson,Yorkshire’s second highest wicket-taker with 39, knows the side need to raise their levels.
He said: “In Championship cricket, we were below par in relation to what we’re capable of. So to be able to get to the last game last season and still be in with a chance was quite pleasing in one sense.
“But, in fairness, we didn’t deserve to take it home at the end. It makes us more determined to get back to winning ways.
“Possibly there was an underlying expectation having won the Championship the previous two years that, with a very similar side, at some point in the year we’d come good and push on to win it.
“It just doesn’t happen like that, and you have to respect the game a bit more and perform more consistently. It was a bit of an eyeopener. I think there’s a renewed level of focus from the lads.”
While Yorkshire’s bowling certainly has talent to match their experience, so does the batting though that was perhaps the downfall of the back-to-back champions last year.
While they possess a constant threat of being able to take 20 wickets, scores above 350 aren’t so regular but the line-up has been strengthened with the season-long signing of Peter Hanscomb.
That stops the in and outs that last year saw Kane Williamson, Travis Head and Jake Lehmann all spend spells at the club.
Ballance could thrive with the bat as captain while there will be no pressure of potential England duty for Adam Lyth as opener. Fellow opener Alex Lees failed to kick on last season having previously earned a Lions call-up.
Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root will feature briefly early on with the clash against Hampshire pencilled in for their appearance, while Adil Rashid will be available for the match with Warwickshire, too.
Patterson, who celebrates his testimonial in 2017, added: “One area we struggled with last year was scoring runs.We didn’t get the runs needed on good pitches to put teams under pressure and that will be our biggest challenge.
“Having Gary Ballance back will be a big positive because he’s one of our most consistent performers. Peter Handscomb has started his international career extremely well and he is also an exciting player.
“I think what we need this season is for people like Leesy, who has played quite a bit of cricket now and has had four or five years of first-class stuff, to produce a level of consistency that matches up to his ability.”