By Graham Hardcastle and Paul Dyson
England World Cup winner Adil Rashid is back in Yorkshire’s squad for the first time this campaign, with the county hoping he will provide a timely boost to their Vitality Blast campaign.
Rashid’s inclusion in a 15-man squad for Friday’s home clash with Worcestershire at Emerald Headingley (6.30pm) comes after a period of rest since England’s breathless Lord’s Final victory over New Zealand on July 14.
The leg-spinner’s appearance in the Vikings eleven, however, is not yet certain as the White Rose medical staff assess his fitness following a long-standing shoulder complaint.
Rashid, 31, claimed eleven wickets from as many appearances during a seamers’ World Cup.
The only spinner with more wickets was India leggie Yuzvendra Chahal with 12. The top 18 bowlers in the tournament were all seamers.
Rashid, however, saved his best for nearly last, claiming 3-54 in the semi-final victory over Australia at Edgbaston as they posted only 223 batting first.
“I didn’t watch a great deal of the World Cup because we were playing right through it, but I don’t think he picked up the wickets he’d have liked in the early stages,” said White Rose coach Andrew Gale.
“I watched the game against Australia, and he was excellent. He was a big part of that win.
“The thing is with Rash, you know there’s always a big game in him somewhere, and he came good at the right time in that semi-final.
“It’s not just about the World Cup, though. Look at what he’s done over the last three or four years for England. He’s been a linchpin in that team.
“He’s been getting better and better in white ball cricket.”
The plan now is for him to be available, pending fitness, for the remainder of the Blast. His availability for the final four County Championship matches of the season will be determined by the ECB, to whom he is centrally contracted.
Gale said: “Pending injury, we’re getting a match-winner back in our side, and that’s what T20 is all about – getting as many of them in your side as possible.
“He will be a big asset to us in those middle overs because he’s a wicket-taker. And when you’re doing that, you’re stalling run-rates. He knows his game inside out in that format, and we’ll welcome him back with open arms.
“Jack Shutt did really well on Thursday (two wickets of debut against Lancashire. He came in and did a job with his off-spin.
“But I’m also a big fan of a wrist spinner in the side in T20 cricket, hence the reason we signed Josh Poysden last year. Unfortunately for him, he’s not going to be around for the rest of the season, which means Rash’s return comes at a good time.”
After five games, Yorkshire have won one, lost two and had two No Results – the latest washout coming against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road on Sunday.
There are still nine games remaining in pursuit of a top four finish and a quarter-final berth, but they can’t afford too many more slip ups.
Worcester are playing tonight (Wednesday) against Derbyshire at New Road.
Heading into that clash, they had won two, lost one and had a No Result.
There is further mixed availability news for Yorkshire. Captain Steve Patterson returns having been rested from the first five North Group games, but fledgling left-arm spinner James Logan has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a stress fracture of his back.
Team news
Club captain Steven Patterson returns to the side after a five-game period of rest.
Slow left-armer James Logan has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a stress fracture of the back.
World Cup winning leg-spinner Adil Rashid is named in the squad following a post tournament period of rest. The club are monitoring and managing a shoulder complaint and, after he took part in his first training session at Emerald Headingley today, his level of fitness will be assessed ahead of Friday’s fixture
Leg-spinner Josh Poysden has been ruled out for the rest of the season after he was struck in the head by a ball whilst giving throw downs to team-mate Dom Bess indoors last Monday.
Seamer Matthew Fisher dislocated his shoulder and broke a thumb (for a second time this season) on the same day in defeat to Derbyshire at Chesterfield. He is expected to spend around six weeks in total on the sidelines.
Squad
Gary Ballance
Dom Bess
Tim Bresnan
Harry Brook
Tom Kohler-Cadmore
Jack Leaning
Adam Lyth
Duanne Olivier
Steven Patterson ©
Mathew Pillans
Adil Rashid
Jack Shutt
Jonny Tattersall (WK)
Jordan Thompson
David Willey
The thoughts of Graham Hardcastle…
Two home games in three days against sides who currently sit inside the top four in the Vitality Blast North Group, this is a very important weekend for the Vikings.
A disruptive start, including two defeats and two rain offs, has added pressure onto the squad in their pursuit of a maiden title.
Losing games at Derbyshire and at home to Lancashire were both missed opportunities – games they could, and perhaps should, have won.
As long as the weather plays ball, a minimum requirement from this weekend is one win from two games against defending champions Worcester and past champions Birmingham Bears.
Anything less and it will be a real uphill battle in the second half of the group stage.
Despite losing two games so far, the Vikings have shown plenty of encouragement, racking up 255-2 in beating Leicestershire at Grace Road being the obvious one.
They also bowled well in the latter stages of the innings against Lancashire at Emerald Headingley to drag a total back to 170-6.
Now, though, snapshots of encouragement need to be turned into points. It’s not quite do or die stage yet, but it’s not far off.
The thoughts of Jonathan Doidge
Without wanting to ramp up the pressure on the Vikings, every game that is ticked off in this tournament is a game closer to the quarter-finals, and they will want to get points on the board sooner rather than later.
Obviously it’s not ideal when matches are washed out, and they have suffered two of those from five possible outings so far. They are 1-2 down in terms of matches played, playing superbly in the win at Leicester, and not being far away in either of the defeats to Derbyshire or Lancashire.
It’s unfortunate that the weather reduced Nicholas Pooran’s five-match stay to just three actual games, but that is now done, and with no Adil Rashid again this weekend, neither match against champions Worcestershire on Friday nor also Birmingham on Sunday will come any easier.
The positive is that the forecast appears to be ok, so the prospect of full matches looks good, while of course Yorkshire have home advantage for both. If they can bag a couple of wins now, it could do wonders for confidence, not to mention position in the Blast table, by the half-way stage.
Steve Patterson is back to skipper and add some consistency with the ball, and it was great to see how Jack Shutt started his first team career in the Roses T20 clash last week. That was very encouraging for the future. One of the success stories of the matches played so far has been Jordan Thompson, whose ability with both bat and ball in white ball cricket looks like being an invaluable asset to the club in years to come.
The Rapids have been a little more fortunate with the weather, having lost just one match, and they have also lost just once so far. As champions, everyone will want to knock them off their perch in this year’s competition, but they remain a very good side, batting deep and with numerous bowling options. Yorkshire will need to be very good, but they can certainly be that on their own patch. Here’s hoping…
Match statistics
- Of the regular members of the Northern Group, Yorkshire have played fewer games against Worcestershire than any other county.
- Three of Yorkshire’s highest nine T20 totals have been scored against Worcestershire and all have been at Headingley. Worcestershire’s highest total at the ground is 196 for seven in 2017
- Yorkshire’s David Willey scored 118 against Worcestershire at Headingley in 2017 but no one from their opponents has ever made a century home or away.
- Yorkshire’s best bowling analysis at Headingley against Worcestershire is four for 21 by Richard Pyrah in 2011 but no Worcestershire bowler has ever taken more than three wickets in an innings at Headingley.
Potential milestones
Potential batting milestones in Yorkshire v Worcestershire on 2nd Aug 2019
- OB Cox needs 35 runs to reach 1500 runs in Twenty20 matches
- MH Wessels needs 51 runs to reach 5000 runs in Twenty20 matches
- BL D’Oliveira needs 62 runs to reach 1000 runs in Twenty20 matches
- RA Whiteley needs 106 runs to reach 2000 runs in Twenty20 matches
- T Kohler-Cadmore needs 113 runs to reach 500 runs in Twenty20 matches at Leeds
- JA Leaning needs 117 runs to reach 500 runs in Twenty20 matches at Leeds
- WD Parnell needs 118 runs to reach 1500 runs in Twenty20 matches
Potential bowling milestones in Yorkshire v Worcestershire on 2nd Aug 2019
- MM Ali needs 6 wickets to reach 100 wickets in Twenty20 matches
- BL D’Oliveira needs 8 wickets to reach 50 wickets in Twenty20 matches
- D Olivier needs 10 wickets to reach 50 wickets in Twenty20 matches
