By Graham Hardcastle
Leg-spinner Josh Poysden is relishing the prospect of a long-term stay with Yorkshire after signing a three-year deal at Emerald Headingley.
“I can’t wait to get stuck in and really contribute,” admitted the 27-year-old after arriving from Warwickshire, initially on loan for the rest of the summer.
“You look at the history of the place, it’s really exciting to be a part of that and have the chance to add what I can.”
The White Rose may well have got themselves a rough diamond in the Sussex-born spinner who has previously played England Lions cricket and has trained with the senior team.
A player with immense promise, Poysden’s lack of four-day cricket this season – only one Specsavers County Championship appearance for Warwickshire – means the early stages of his Yorkshire career have left him looking a touch rusty with the red ball in hand.
He has played two Championship matches so far, in the win over Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford and then last week’s defeat against Worcestershire at Scarborough, taking three wickets in the latter.
“I’ve probably played a bit more white ball than red ball cricket so far in my career,” he said ahead of tomorrow’s (WEDNESDAY) clash with Somerset at Emerald Headingley.
“Having said that, I’ve had a little bit of success in Championship cricket – I’ve got a couple of five-fors – and I want to play in all forms.
“That’s the really exciting thing about the move, to get that opportunity.
“You look at Yorkshire’s recent history with their two Championship wins, red ball cricket is such a big part of their DNA.
“I’m in the last year of my contract at Warwickshire, and there was a bit of uncertainty there. So to sign a long-term contract with a club the size of Yorkshire is something that’s really exciting for me.”
Poysden could be joined in Yorkshire’s team to face Somerset by fellow new recruit Mat Pillans, who has also arrived on loan from Surrey ahead of the same length of contract.
And the former Bear believes the arrangement will be beneficial moving forwards.
“When I was talking to Martyn Moxon about coming up, I didn’t really think too much about the short-term,” he said.
“But now I’m here, reflecting on it, it’s definitely a positive thing that I’ve got this head start for the rest of this summer.
“First of all, just to play some cricket is brilliant.
“Also, there’s little things like getting to know how things work here with the coaches and getting to know the players. It can only be a positive thing.
“At Warwickshire last year, Adam Hose and Dom Sibley joined in similar circumstances, and it seemed to help them.
“There’s no point wasting time at Warwickshire now.”
Yorkshire head into the game against second-placed Somerset, third-bottom in Division One and five points clear of Worcestershire, who face bottom side Lancashire this week.
A win would be their fourth in 10 matches, and Poysden is confident of achieving it to put a nail in the coffin of Somerset’s slim title hopes in the process – they are 32 points behind Surrey with four to play.
He added: “You look at the class around the changing room, there’s a lot of highly skilled experienced cricketers in there.
“You have got to back them to come good.
“It was a tough game for us last week, but there’s still a lot of belief there. The boys have no doubt we can turn it around and get back to winning ways.”
Team News
Pace bowler Ben Coad remains sidelined with a side injury and, although having returned to training, is a couple of weeks away from playing First XI cricket.
David Willey continues to captain the side in the absence of Steven Patterson, who is also around a fortnight away from a return to action after breaking his left index finger in the Roses T20 defeat to Lancashire.
Tim Bresnan continues to be rested.
Mat Pillans is included in the squad having linked up with his new team-mates on Bank Holiday Monday and could make his White Rose debut.
14-man squad to face Somerset CCC
Gary Ballance
Harry Brook
Jack Brooks
Matthew Fisher
Tom Kohler-Cadmore
Jack Leaning
Adam Lyth
Mat Pillans
Josh Poysden
Josh Shaw
Jonny Tattersall (WK)
James Wainman
Kane Williamson
David Willey ©
Match statistics
- Somerset’s first two wins in the County Championship at Headingley were exactly 100 years apart – in 1901 and 2001.
- Somerset is one of only two counties, Essex being the other, who have scored over 600 runs in one innings against Yorkshire without the White Rose ever having done so in return. Somerset’s record is 630 at Headingley in 1901. Yorkshire’s highest is 589 for five at Bath in 2001.
- Yorkshire have dismissed Somerset for fewer than 50 on five occasions, the lowest being 35 at Bath in 1898, but their own lowest total in these matches is 73 at Headingley in 1895.
- Somerset’s highest partnership against Yorkshire is 346 and this record was set 126 years ago.
- For Yorkshire three players have scored a century and taken five wickets in an innings in the same match in games between these two sides. These are George Hirst, Wilfred Rhodes and Brian Close (twice). No Somerset player has yet achieved the feat against Yorkshire.
Milestones
Potential batting milestones in Yorkshire v Somerset on 29th Aug 2018
JA Leaning needs 4 runs to reach 1000 runs in First-class matches at Leeds
TT Bresnan needs 5 runs to reach 500 runs in First-class matches against Somerset
JA Brooks needs 13 runs to reach 1500 runs in First-class matches
C Overton needs 17 runs to reach 2000 runs in First-class matches
ME Trescothick needs 18 runs to reach 1000 runs in First-class matches at Leeds
KS Williamson needs 30 runs to reach 10000 runs in First-class matches
JA Brooks needs 41 runs to reach 500 runs in First-class matches at Leeds
JC Hildreth needs 50 runs to reach 1500 runs in First-class matches against Yorkshire
ME Trescothick needs 51 runs to reach 2000 runs in First-class matches against Yorkshire
Azhar Ali needs 64 runs to reach 10500 runs in First-class matches
ME Trescothick needs 73 runs to reach 26000 runs in First-class matches
T Kohler-Cadmore needs 78 runs to reach 2000 runs in First-class matches
EJ Byrom needs 90 runs to reach 1000 runs in First-class matches
GA Bartlett needs 94 runs to reach 500 runs in First-class matches
JA Leaning needs 120 runs to reach 500 runs in First-class matches against Somerset
Azeem Rafiq needs 134 runs to reach 1000 runs in First-class matches
GS Ballance needs 140 runs to reach 2500 runs in First-class matches at Leeds
J Overton needs 144 runs to reach 1000 runs in First-class matches
Potential bowling milestones in Yorkshire v Somerset on 29th Aug 2018
JH Davey needs 3 wickets to reach 50 wickets in First-class matches
Azhar Ali needs 4 wickets to reach 50 wickets in First-class matches
L Gregory needs 10 wickets to reach 200 wickets in First-class matches
The opposition
- Specsavers County Championship: Division 1 (2017 performance – 6th)
- Royal London One-Day Cup: South Group (2017 performance – quarter-finals)
- Vitality Blast: South Group (2017 performance – quarter-finals)
Captains: Tom Abell (County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup) Lewis Gregory (Vitality Blast)
Director of Cricket: Andy Hurry
Head Coach: Jason Kerr
Overseas Players: Corey Anderson (Vitality Blast)
Other ins and Outs: Ins: Tom Banton, Fin Trenouth (first professional contracts)
Outs: Jim Allenby, Adam Hose, Michael Leask, Ryan Davies
